


Demons from the Past

by Olivia Sutton (Olivia_Sutton)



Series: Marty's Past (gen) [3]
Category: Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) (2000)
Genre: Angst, Case File, Gen, Implied Underage, Implied or Off-stage Rape/Non-con, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-20
Updated: 2012-10-20
Packaged: 2017-11-16 16:32:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 34,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/541557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Olivia_Sutton/pseuds/Olivia%20Sutton
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jeff is hired to find the kidnapped thirteen-year old son of a wealthy couple; but the case hurls him into a dark and sordid world that brings back painful memories from his shared past with Marty Hopkirk.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Title: Demons from the Past  
> Author: by Olivia Sutton  
> Previously Published: RHFiction List on Yahoo  
> Archive: Fan Fiction Net, Archive of Our Own  
> Previously Publication Date (Fan Fiction Net): March 2005  
> Category: Angst, Case File  
> Warnings: Again, dealing with adult topics, adult situations, and violence (including the aftermath of violence). Please do not read if easily offended or under-age. This story is rated R, no one under 18 admitted without parent or guardian (Mature).  
> Story: 3 of 4  
> Series: Marty's past (gen)  
> Chapters: 7 (complete)  
> Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.  
> Disclaimer: This fanfic is written for fun, for the enjoyment of other fans, but not for profit. Based on the new (2000-2001) version of Randall and Hopkirk (deceased) copyright to the BBC 2000-2001. (previous version copyrighted 1969 by ITC).  
> Author's note: This is probably the longest thing I've ever written, not just the longest fanfic, but at 67 pages, it's the longest anything, ever. I never would have finished it without the constant encouragement, help, and even badgering of Jackie Cox, my faithful beta and friend. This story started last August (of 2004) as an aftermath tale from my previous story "Into All Sadness a Little Happiness Must Fall" and just sorta' grew. It is helpful to read "Into All Sadness a Little Happiness Must Fall". References also to my story, "You Know Me So Well". This story is set approximately three months after the demise of Marty Hopkirk. Comments are always welcome, so please review! Enjoy!  
> PLEASE PLEASE NOTE: The individuals, places, and institutions portrayed in this story are absolutely fictional, no real person or persons are meant to be implied or suggested in this fan story. Any resemblance to real people, teachers, schools or anything or anyone else is absolutely a co-incidence and accidental.  
> Summary: Jeff is hired to find the kidnapped thirteen-year old son of a wealthy couple; but the case hurls him into a dark and sordid world that brings back painful memories from his shared past with Marty Hopkirk.

**Demons from the Past**

**by Olivia Sutton**  

********

Chapter 1

********

"Wendy, I really need to talk to you, it's important," Jeannie Hurst said into the telephone.

"Well, all right, if you insist. How about if you come over to the house for luncheon tomorrow, then? Is that all right, Jeannie?" asked Wendy, her sister.

"Yes, that's fine Wendy. Thanks."

"It's really not a problem, Jeannie. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you," Jeannie clicked off on her telephone, than sat down thinking about the news she had to give her sister. 

*****

The next morning, Jeannie met her sister at her house. Once luncheon was served, Wendy looked at Jeannie and said, "Well, what is it?"

"Wendy, I... I saw my doctor yesterday, and... well, it's a bit complicated. Marty and I had discussed wanting to have children, and he was so excited about the prospect that I stopped taking the pill months before the wedding. And then with... with Marty's..." she began to sob, again.

"I know, go on, then..."

"Well, I didn't get my... well, my period, Wendy, and I thought...  But then a month later I had spotting, so I supposed that I was only irregular because of the stress.  I mean, the stress of the wedding, and Marty...  well, you know, and then the funeral..."

"Yes, go on, Jeannie," Wendy encouraged.

"I went to the doctor yesterday. I'm pregnant!"

Wendy looked at Jeannie in shock, "Well, congratulations," then she looked at her sister's scared and surprised face, "It is congratulations, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is! Having a child, well, it would be like having some part of Marty back. But I'm scared, Wendy. No, I'm terrified. I'm single now, I'm working. Jeff depends on me. How am I going to work with a baby? And the business, Wendy-- the detective business is on shaky ground. Jeff is always struggling with bills. How am I going to provide for a baby? What will Jeff do when I can't work?"

"Jeannie, you don't think Jeff will be angry at you?"

"I don't know! I don't think he ever expected to have a partner that's pregnant."

Wendy leaned closer to her sister, "I don't think Jeff will be angry, Jeannie. I think he'll be happy for you. Everything else will sort itself out, you'll see. And if you need money..."

"Wendy! I didn't tell you this so I could depend on your money."

"Jeannie, if you need to, you'll accept my help. I **want** to help. For the sake of the baby, don't be so stubborn about it."

Jeannie looked at her and nodded, "You think Jeff will be happy?"

"You're always saying he's a great bloke, Jeannie. Do you really think he'll be angry?"

"No, I don't, really, I think he'll be happy for me."

Wendy nodded, then said, "Eat-up dear, you're eating for two now, you may as well enjoy it."

Jeannie glared at her sister, then took a bite of her salad, thinking to herself how she would break the news to Jeff.

***** 

Jeff Randall sat at his desk in his office at **Randall and Hopkirk (deceased) Security Services** , preparing a report for a client. He'd been surprised that Jeannie hadn't been in the office when he'd arrived. Then, he heard the outer door to the office open. He smiled, then returned to working on his report.

Jeannie walked into the office, "Jeff, may I talk to you for a minute?'

"Sure, Jeannie," he said, smiling at her.

"Jeff, I...I have to tell you something, um..." and Jeannie began to cry.

Jeff  looked up, in surprise. Jeannie seldom cried. "Jeannie, What is it? What's wrong?" He got up and went to her side, "Here, sit down, and tell me, what's the matter?"

Jeannie sat in the chair before Jeff's desk that was usually used by clients, Jeff  knelt next to her, one hand on her back, the other on her arm, "Jeannie, come on, then, what is it?"

"I saw my doctor a few days ago, Jeff."

"Jeannie? Are you okay? You're not...well, ill or something?"

"No! Not exactly, Jeff, but I went to the doctor and..."

At that moment, Marty appeared. He instantly saw Jeff at Jeannie's side, and was about to protest when Jeannie blurted out...

"I'm pregnant, Jeff."

Marty nearly collapsed in shock.

Jeff looked at her sideways, "I didn't even know you were dating anyone, Jeannie."

Jeannie glared at him, "Jeff, it's Marty's baby, of course. How could you possibly think I would... with someone else? God, it's only been three months, since he died, Jeff."

"Yah, Jeff, Jeannie wouldn't... with someone else, she wouldn't!" said Marty, looking at Jeff with a slightly hurt expression, then he went to his fiancée's side, "Oh, Jeannie," he whispered into her ear.

Jeff looked at her again, "Oh, well, yes. I'm sorry, Jeannie. I am. I didn't mean to insult you," he smiled, "Well, that's great, Jeannie! I'm happy for you."

But Jeannie was crying even harder now, "Jeff-- what are we going to do? What am **I** going to do? How am I going to handle a baby and working here? And how am I going to raise this baby without Marty?"

"We'll work something out. I'll take care of you, Jeannie. I promised Marty I would, and I will," Jeff gave his partner a look.

"But I won't be able to work, and when I come back I'll need to find a baby minder, and there's formula, and nappies, babies are expensive Jeff, and... I know the finances are shaky, here at the office."

"We'll suss something out, Jeannie, now, come on. You almost sound like you don't want the baby."

Marty looked absolutely horrified at that, "No, Jeff-- whatever you have to do, don't let her... Please, Jeff, not my child, please."

"No-- it's not that, having a child..." Jeannie looked wistful, "Having a child will be like having a little bit of  Marty back. But how will I tell the baby what happened to his or her father? And how am I going to manage all alone?" Jeannie said, as she finally stopped crying.

"You won't be alone, Jeannie. I'll help you. It will be all right. You know, Marty told me once that he really wanted kids."

"Really, Jeff?" Jeannie asked.

"Yes, really," Jeff answered, patting her back, _I just won't mention that it was **after** he died that he said that._ "It will be all right, Jeannie, I promise, everything will sort itself out."

"Well, you know, Marty was very excited when we first discussed it. He brought it up, in fact, told me he wanted children, almost immediately after we became engaged. I wasn't sure he would, he never mentioned it when we lived together, but... right after he proposed, within a few days, he brought it up. I remembered that when I found out."

Jeff gave Jeannie a little squeeze, "See, everything will be all right, Jeannie, and you're not alone, don't feel that you are, you have me, and your sister Wendy, and..." Jeff looked at Marty, but left off. "Have you told Wendy yet?"

"Yes, I spoke to her yesterday."

"Now, come on, I'll make you some tea. Everything will be fine, Jeannie."

Jeannie nodded, and stood up.

Jeff  stood with her, "It will be all **right** , Jeannie. I promise." He moved in to hug her.

Marty looked at Jeff, and at Jeannie, but instead of jealousy, his face showed almost childlike innocence. "Jeff, look after her for me, and the baby."

Jeff looked at Marty, trying to telegraph his expression of " _wait a moment_ " to Marty, then he put a hand on Jeannie's arm and said, "Jeannie, why don't you go and fix your face? And I'll make you a nice cuppa tea, yah? All right, Jeannie?"

Jeannie left the inner office, and Jeff turned and faced Marty, who, in shock, had sat down on the nearest surface, which happened to be Jeff's desk. "Jeannie's... She's..."

"Marty, I'll look after her. We'll sort something out in terms of running the office and for money, but, I promise, Marty, I'll take care of her and your child like they were my own. I swear it, Marty," Jeff looked up at his partner's still amazed face.

Marty smiled at him, "Thank you, Jeff."

"Marty, it's the least I could do. I... I've always cared about Jeannie, Marty. And it's your child... I promise I'll look after them both, I will."

"I know you will, Jeff. And I'll be here to hold you to it. I'm going to be a father? Wait 'til I tell Wyvern." Marty disappeared.

Jeff moved into the outer office and started to make a nice strong pot of tea.

*****

Jeff brought two mugs of tea into the inner office and placed one on Marty's desk used by Jeannie and one on his own, then he returned to the outer office, went out into the upstairs corridor, and looked towards the lavatories at the end of the hall. He saw the ladies room door open and quickly re-entered the main office and shut the door. He heard Jeannie's heels clicking in the hallway, then the door opened.

"Feeling better, Jeannie?" he asked.

Jeannie nodded, "It must be the hormones. The whole way here, I kept thinking about how I'd tell you, what I'd say, what you'd say. By the time I'd arrived at the office, I really worked myself into a state. I was half convinced you'd be cross."

"No, Jeannie, no," Jeff walked toward her and placed an arm around her shoulders, "Jeannie, I'm happy for you. Marty will be... Marty would have been pleased, I know he would," he patted her opposite shoulder then took his hand away, "Come on, tea's on. It's just the thing to help you calm down."

Jeannie nodded, and let Jeff lead her into the office.

Once he'd seen her sat down, Jeff returned to his chair behind his desk. He grabbed his tea and took a deep sip, then set it back on his desk, "Jeannie, there is one thing, though..."

Jeannie sipped her tea, sitting in Marty's chair at Marty desk, "Oh?'

"Well, I don't think you should do any of the legwork. Not anymore, not while you're in a delicate state," Jeff said, looking at her cautiously.

"You can't be serious? Jeff!  I'm pregnant, not a china doll!"

"Still, Jeannie, if you got hurt during a case, I'd never forgive myself. If..."

"Jeff, I am perfectly capable of working, at least for the next trimester, I'll be fine."

"It's too dangerous, Jeannie," Jeff stated, shaking his head.

Unnoticed by either Jeff or Jeannie, the outer door to the office opened, and a white-haired man in a navy blue suit, entered the outer office.

"It's not! Jeff, I never figured you for such a sexist pig!" She shouted, slamming her mug of tea on the desk as she spoke, the tea sloshed onto Marty's desk.

"Jeannie... look, you know how dangerous the work can be, we both know how dangerous it can be," Jeff motioned his head towards the picture of himself and Marty on the wall.

"THAT is not fair, Jeff!" Jeannie responded, her face growing red.

The man in the outer office, followed the noise of arguing voices and entered the inner office. He crossed the room and stood in front of Jeff's desk.

"I'm not saying you need to stay home, just stay in the office. Let me handle the legwork."

"And who will be your backup?" Jeannie responded, as she cleaned up the spilt tea with a tissue.

The man decided to interrupt Jeannie and Jeff, "Hum-um! Perhaps if you two are more interested in arguing, I can take my business to the detectives downstairs?" he said in a cultured accent.

*****

"Wyvern, Wyvern, Are you here?" Shouted Marty, happily as he appeared in Wyvern's rooms in Limbo.

"And where else would I be?" Asked Wyvern, blue eyes sparkling.

"Wyvern, I have some great news, it's about Jeannie, Wyvern, she's going to have a baby, I'm going to be a father, can you believe it?"

Wyvern nodded, his face grim, "Marty..."

"What? Can't you be happy for me?" Marty asked, the energy and happiness dissipating from his manner, as he noted Wyvern's tone. Marty caused an armchair to appear, than sat in it, gloomily.

Wyvern looked away, thinking, then said, "Nothing, only a pregnancy can be a long time, that's all."

Marty looked at Wyvern, hurt and confused, "But Jeff will look after her... he'll make sure she's safe. It's not that dangerous, the work."

Wyvern started to say something, then stopped, and smiled a wide smile, "I'm sorry, Marty, pay no heed to your gloomy guide. Why don't you go and join Jeff now?"

Marty smiled and left. Once he was gone, Wyvern frowned, his brow furrowing in thought.

*****

At the offices of **Randall and Hopkirk (deceased)** , Jeff  jumped, spilling his own tea, then stood up and quickly walked around the desk, "I'm sorry, sir, I didn't know you were there."

"Obviously," the man stated, in a cultured posh tone. He was dressed in a flash blue suit, and carried an expensive-looking leather briefcase.

"We're sorry, my partner and I were just discussing some personal issues, Mister..." Jeannie left that hanging, and stood to offer her hand.

"Ah, are you Randall or Hopkirk?" he asked.

"I'm Miss Hurst, this is Mister Randall, and Hopkirk's..." she paled and trailed off.

"My former partner, died," Jeff filled in, "Now, Mr... you still haven't told us your name." Jeff grabbed a tissue from a box on the desktop and mopped up the spilt tea.

Marty appeared, and stood next to Jeff, Jeff jumped just a bit, then glanced sideways, before returning his attention to the posh man sitting in front of his desk.

"Worthington, Sir Herbert Geoffrey Worthington," the man answered in his cultured accent.

"Oh, very posh," Marty sneered, sarcastically, "Jeff, I need to talk to you."

Jeff attempted to subtly signal Marty to leave him alone, but rose at the cultured-man's name, "Yes, sir, What can we do for you?"

Sir Worthington motioned for Jeff and Jeannie to sit, than sat himself in front of Jeff's desk in a creaky chair and said, "It's my son, Clive, he's gone missing. My wife, Lady Patience and I feared he was kidnapped for ransom, so we haven't contacted the police, but there's been no ransom demand, nothing. We're frightfully worried."

"I see," Jeff said, nodding, as he sat again, "And there's been no ransom demand, you say? Well, are you going to contact the police?"

Marty looked at the man with a pained expression, then began to listen, completely forgetting to annoy Jeff as the man's tale held him spellbound.

"My wife and I agreed-- we won't contact the police. If there **is** a ransom demand, later, we don't want the police involved. Too dangerous for Clive, you see? But private, um, security? Yes, that's the way."

Jeff nodded again, "I see, well, can you tell me," he looked at Jeannie, "Can you tell us when your son went missing?" Jeff picked up a notebook and pencil from the desk, and flipped open the notebook.

"He was last seen at school, on Monday, that's three days ago. My wife and I... well, we wanted Clive to have a normal childhood, not a pampered one, so we sent him to Abbotts Field Comprehensive school in Kent, rather than public boarding school. We thought it best."

Jeannie's jaw dropped in surprise, then she asked, "Wait, if he disappeared on Monday, why did you wait so long to contact us?"

Sir Worthington looked uncomfortable, coughed, then said, "I was expecting a ransom demand, but we haven't received one. My wife, she insisted we contact someone to investigate and to find Clive. I insisted that we wait... but now..."

"It's been long enough, that you agreed to come to us," said Jeannie.

"That's right," answered Sir Worthington, "I... I probably shouldn't have waited so long, but I was sure..."

"Can you tell us what happened?" Jeff offered.

"We sent Hawkins, our driver, to collect Clive on Monday, and he returned from Abbotts Field without him. He contacted me immediately, of course, and I went there straight away. The school buildings and grounds were searched. The only clue we have is that Clive apparently walked off with another boy from the school."

"I see," said Jeff, scribbling down the facts in his notebook, "Who was this other boy?"

"Mark Daley, he's a year senior to our Clive, lives near the school."

"And do you know this Mark Daley?" put in Jeannie.

"We've not met him, but Clive has mentioned him several times this year," replied Worthington.

Jeff wrote that down, then asked, "Have you spoken to him? Asked if he knows what happened to Clive?"

"No... no, I thought that would be up your street, as it were, Mister Randall, I only found out which boy Clive left with this morning, no one at the school has said anything for the past few days."

Jeff nodded, "Right, well, do you have a picture of Clive, then?"

Worthington nodded, "Of course," he replied, then he lifted the briefcase at his side, placed it on his lap, and opened it. He took out a stack of photographs, and placed them on the desk.

Jeff grabbed a photo and lifted it, bringing into his field of vision. His heart leapt when he looked at the photograph. It was a posed official-looking photograph of an grim 13-year old boy, dressed in a navy blue suit and school tie, with black, messy hair, and bright blue eyes behind thin glasses with metal rims. But what startled Jeff so much was the child's resemblance to Marty Hopkirk. "Take away the flash suit, and it's Marty," he mumbled, then he shook himself and recovered, "And this is an recent photograph, Sir Worthington?"

Marty looked at Jeff's face with surprise, he'd heard Jeff's mumbled words, he stood up and leaned in to take a closer look. Marty was even more startled than Jeff, because the photograph did look very much as he had when he was younger, apart from the glasses.

"Yes, it was taken at the beginning of the year. Clive will be fourteen next month."

Jeff rose, "How do we contact you?"

Worthington took a piece of paper off the desk and wrote down a number and name on it, "Higgins is my private secretary, he knows where I can be reached at any time, day or night. You may contact him with your progress, and he will pass on the information to me. And if you find out where Clive is, or have any urgent need to contact me, Higgins always knows where I am, if you phone him, he'll inform me, and I'll contact you, straight away, Mr. Randall."

Jeff nodded, "Thank you, we'll be in touch," he rose from the desk and showed the man out, then returned to his desk.

"Well, what was it?" asked Jeannie.

"What was what, Jeannie?" Jeff asked crossly.

"Jeff, when you looked at the photograph, you went as pale as a ghost, then you very obviously dismissed the client, what spooked you?"

"This, Jeannie, this..." Jeff picked up the photograph, stood up and brought it to her.

Jeannie looked at the photo, "He's a nice-looking boy, but I don't understand why..."

"Nice looking?" said Jeff, interrupting her, "Jeannie, don't you think he looks like Marty?"

"Marty, no... well, I suppose there's a bit of a resemblance, but I don't see..."

Jeff looked away, then went to the filing cabinet across the room and yanked open the top drawer, he took out an old vinyl photograph album, then walked to Jeannie's desk. He placed the album in front of her, and opened the pages.

"Jeff you kept it? In the office? I never knew..." said Marty, watching Jeff, as he put the album in front of Jeannie.

Jeannie looked with fascination at the pictures; there were several, all of Jeff and Marty as children and teenagers. She flipped through the album captivated by the pictures, from holiday camps, school photographs, dances, even casual shots around a small, yellow, suburban house. "I've never seen these," Jeannie said, as she continued to look at the photographs.

Jeff  looked at the pictures with her for a moment, then got up and walked away from Marty's desk. "We've got to help that boy, Jeannie, we've got to."

"All right, all right," Jeannie said, still engrossed in the pictures of her fiancé's childhood, "But I still don't think he looks like Marty."

Jeff stood away from her, facing the wall of the office. Marty appeared in front of him, and saw that his mate had tears in his eyes. Marty looked at Jeff, sympathetically, "I'm surprised you kept that album here; Jeff, I'm touched, I really am."

Marty's comment only made Jeff cry harder. Jeannie looked up, and saw Jeff's shoulders were shaking, she closed the album, and walked to Jeff, putting an arm around his shoulders, "Hey, Jeff," she said, quietly, "Jeff, come on, we'll find him. And thank you for letting me see the picture album."

Jeff nodded, still looking at the wall, trying to control his tears.

Jeannie patted Jeff's shoulder again, "Come on, Jeff, let's plan out what to do."

Jeff shuddered, then pulled himself together, "Sure, Jeannie, let's do that," he returned to his desk and sat. Jeannie followed him, sitting at her own desk. Then Jeff turned and said, "Jeannie, would you... could you pop out and get us some sandwiches or takeaway or something, first, though, please? I mean, I know you don't like running errands like that but..."

Jeannie looked at him with sympathy and complete understanding, Jeff was shaken and wanted time alone to pull himself together, "Sure, Jeff, anything in particular you'd like?"

"Not really, Jeannie, whatever you want is fine, I just..." Jeff left off.

Jeannie nodded back an answer, "I understand, Jeff," then she quickly fled the office.

Marty watched his fiancée leave, then turned to face Jeff. Marty walked over to Jeff and sat on the corner of his desk, facing him, "Jeff... I never knew you kept those pictures. I thought your mother still had them."

Jeff  had his head on the desk, hearing Marty's voice he pulled himself up off the desk and pushed the desk chair back against the wall, his eyes were bright red. "I collected them after... after your death, Marty," Jeff answered.

Marty whistled, "Jeff... I'm... I'm sor..."

"Marty, it wasn't your fault you died, don't blame yourself. It was mine."

Marty stood up and looked away, then he looked at Jeff, pain in his eyes, "Jeff, I think Gordon Stylus had something to do with it. You need to stop blaming yourself, please."

Jeff stood up with a dismissive motion and walked to the window. It was a gray day, with a light rain, "Great," he said in an undertone, "And I sent Jeannie out in the rain." He turned from the window and looked at Marty, "Marty, do you know anything about this Clive Worthington?"

"No, I've never heard of him, but you're right, he does look the way I did when I was that age."

"Marty..." Jeff started to say, then he stopped, and turned towards the window, tears threatening again to fall.

Marty nodded, then appeared in front of Jeff, "Jeff..." he said, pained.

"Don't, Marty, just don't, I better come up with a plan before Jeannie returns," Jeff turned away from the window, his shoulders slumped, then returned to sit at his desk.

Marty disappeared, then materialised next to Jeff's desk chair.

"So, did you tell Wyvern, then?" Jeff asked.

Marty looked at him in confusion, "Oh, yah, Jeff... that's what I was going to tell you. Wyvern... his reaction, well, it wasn't what I was bloody expecting."

Jeff nodded, "What do you mean?"

"I don't flamin' know what I mean, Jeff. Just... be extra careful of Jeannie, please."

"I will, Marty," Jeff nodded, then looked up as he heard the outer door opening. Marty disappeared. And a few seconds later, Jeannie entered the inner office, with two takeaway bags. She put one on Jeff's desk and one on her own, then sat at Marty's desk.

"So, what's the plan, then?" asked Jeannie.

"What? Oh, I thought I'd interview the headmaster at the school, see if there was anyone especially close to Clive that we can speak to, and try to find that boy, Mark."

Jeannie nodded, "Jeff, Are you all right?"

Jeff looked at her, "What do you mean, Jeannie?"

Jeannie looked away, then back at him, "Are you all right? The way you acted when you saw the photograph? And after..."

"I'm fine, Jeannie."

Jeannie looked at him like she didn't quite believe him, but she didn't press him about it.


	2. Chapter 2

********

Chapter 2

********

The next morning, Jeff was sat in the offices of **Randall and Hopkirk (deceased)** , waiting for Jeannie to arrive. He was expecting her at eight, so they could get an early start for the school. Jeff was starting to worry when he heard a few noises in the hall and then the outer door opened. "Jeannie?" Jeff called out.

"It's me, Jeff," came Jeannie reply, then she said, "I've brought something for the office..." She walked in with a plastic carrier bag, and moved towards her desk, placing the bag on the surface, and took off her jacket.

"Jeannie, now's not the time for decorating, we need to find that school in Kent, today."

"I know, Jeff, I know, but... I was thinking about those photographs you showed me yesterday, so I popped into Marks & Spencer and picked up a couple of frames, I thought we could... you know, put a couple of those photographs out in the office, in frames, I thought it'd be nice."

Jeff looked at her, "That's... look, it's a nice idea, Jeannie.  And I'd love to.  Maybe even later today, but right now we have a bit of a drive ahead of us. Once we get to Abbotts Field, though, we can get started with some interviews, okay?"

Jeannie nodded, "Sure, Jeff, I... let's go ahead and get started for the school then," Jeannie left the bag where it was, and put her jacket back on.

Jeff walked over to her, and put a hand on her arm, "Look, it was a nice thought, Jeannie, and I might want to pick out some photographs from the album later... but... I can't explain it, Jeannie, I just have a very bad feeling about this case. We need to hurry, and we need to start those interviews," Jeff took his hand off her arm, the picked up his own jacket and led her out of the office.

*****

Jeff drove Jeannie in her yellow convertible to the grounds of the Abbotts Field Comprehensive School. They drove up the drive to the car park and left the car, taking a path to the large stone school building, they walked up the stone stairs and entered.

"It's strange, isn't it, Jeannie?" asked Jeff, as he held open the heavy front door to the school for her.

"What?" Jeannie replied, as she walked into the hallway.

"Walking into school again, makes you feel like a schoolboy," Jeff said.

"Well, I don't feel like a schoolboy, and anyway, I attended boarding school with Wendy."

Jeff nodded, "Right. But Marty and I...  we attended a local comprehensive just like this, up north."

Jeannie nodded, "I know you did, Jeff."

They entered the building and walked straight to the main office, where they met a brisk and efficient secretary.

"Hello, we have an appointment with the headmaster, Mr. ...  Farnham," said Jeff.

"And your names, sir?"

"Randall, Jeff Randall and this is my business partner, Miss Hurst."

"Ah, yes," said the secretary, checking a diary in front of her, "You're expected, if you'd like to just sit and wait for a moment?" She indicated a row of chairs against the wall.

Jeff nodded, and walked quietly to the chairs, sitting down in a metal and wood chair. Jeannie sat quietly next to him, then Jeff rose and began to pace back and forth in front of Jeannie, while they waited.

Jeannie was about to tell Jeff to stop pacing when a man came towards them.  Jeff stopped his pacing, and Jeannie stood. The man, a tall, grey-haired, imposing figure, wearing dark horn-rimmed glasses, walked up and said, "Mister Randall? Miss Hurst? I'm Mr. Farnham, I understand you are making enquiries about the Worthington boy?"

"Yes, that's right, Headmaster," answered Jeff, standing up straight and tall, looking right at him.

"Well, I've already talked to Sir Worthington, but come in, and ask your questions," he said, as he pointed towards a door with a frosted window pane, with " **Headmaster Ian Farnham** " stenciled on it. He held open the door for Jeannie and Jeff, then entered the office, pulling the door shut behind himself.

The office was spacious but cramped with filing cabinets and bookshelves over-crowded with leather covered books, hard cover books, and paper backs. Papers poked out between books, and covered the large imposing wood desk at one end of the room. Farnham crossed to the desk and sat in a big leather armchair behind the desk, reaching forward as he did so to turn on a brass and glass table lamp.

"Well," started Jeff, standing in front of the desk, hands behind his back.

"Sit, both of you, and relax, I promise, I don't bite," said the headmaster.

Jeff sat in a simple leather chair before the desk, and Jeannie sat in a identical chair next to him, "Well, Sir Worthington came to us because he's worried about his son Clive, who's gone missing. He didn't want to inform the police..."

"Yes, I know all that," snapped Farnham.

Jeff took a deep breath, "Clive was in year eight, here?"

"Yes, that's right."

Jeff nodded, and took a notebook out of his pocket, "Can you tell us what happened the last day he was here? Do you know when he went missing?"

"Well, we first discovered he was missing when Hawkins, the Worthingtons' driver came into the office to locate him. Hawkins normally collects Master Worthington outside the school, but he never came out. We made enquires of our own, searched the grounds, and discovered Clive had never reported to art period at the end of the day."

"I see," said Jeff, "And where was he before art period?"

"In Colin Smith's history classroom."

"Right, okay, Headmaster. And when did art period start?"

"It was Clive's last class of the day, so two o'clock."

"And the art teacher is?" Asked Jeannie.

"Williams, George Williams."

"Right, thank you, Headmaster," said Jeff, "Is there anything else you can tell us? Any problems Clive was having at school, problems at home? Did he get in fights with any of the boys at school?"

"Fights, Mister Randall? No, Clive was a good student. Not brilliant, but a good student."

"Any other problems, then?" asked Jeff.

"Anything that might make him decide to run away?" put in Jeannie.

"No," Headmaster Farnham, said sharply, then added, "No, there was nothing, but he's hardly likely to tell me, is he Mister Randall? Clive Worthington was more nervous about appearing before me in this office than you are."

Jeff jumped at that, and Jeannie smiled, then hid her mouth with her hand.

"Yah, sorry, it's been a long time since I've been to school, headmaster. We'd like to talk to Mr. Smith and Mr. Williams, if that's all right?"

"I thought you would, Mr. Randall," said Farnham, Mr. Smith has a free hour starting in a few minutes. Then you can speak with Mr. Williams after lunch."

"Right, thank you, Headmaster," said Jeff.

"There's a staff  room on the third floor, south wing. Go on along there, and Colin should be along at any time. I'll have my secretary ring him so he knows to meet you."

"Thanks, again, sir," said Jeff, standing up and offering his hand.

"No problem, Randall, no problem, I hope you find the Worthington boy."

"Thank you for speaking with us," offered Jeannie, holding out her hand.

Farnham rose and shook hands with them both and then showed them out of the office, "Just up the stairs, turn right and follow the corridor to the south wing, once you reach that, it's the first door on the left," Farnham lead them through the outer office, and pointed to the wide staircase to the right of the outer office.

The two detectives left Farnham's office and walked through the outer office to the school's main hall, just as they started up the wide hardwood stairs, Marty appeared next to Jeff.

"Just a minute," said Jeff to both Jeannie and Marty.

"What, Jeff?" said Jeannie.

"Uh, Jeannie, I need to use the gents a minute, I'll meet you in the staff room, all right?"

"Sure, Jeff," said Jeannie, then she turned and started up the stairs. Jeff and Marty watched her leave, then Jeff turned and walked down the hall to a secluded corner, "Marty?"

"Sorry, Jeff, I was trying to get Wyvern to talk to me about Jeannie... he knows sommat, but he won't tell me. Be extra careful of  her, would you?"

"I am, Marty, I tried to get her to stay in the office, but she wouldn't have it."

Marty nodded, "I'm not surprised."

"Marty, can you look around the school? Try to find out what's happening here? This school has an, **atmosphere** , it bothers me. See what you can find out?"

"Sure, Jeff, and..."

"I know, I know, look after Jeannie for you...  Marty!?" Jeff  looked at him.

Marty looked at him, matching his tone, "Jeff?!"

"I will, Marty, you know I will."

Marty disappeared, Jeff slipped into the staff gents and used the facilities, then returned to the stairs and walked up three flights, he reached the top and walked down the corridor, finally finding the staff room. Jeannie stood there, talking with a young man, Jeff assumed was the teacher they'd been sent to interview.

"Jeff, there you are, finally!" said Jeannie, as Jeff entered the staff room, shutting the door behind himself.

"Sorry, Jeannie, I didn't mean to be so long."

"That's all right, Jeff, you haven't missed much. This is Colin Smith, one of Clive Worthington's teachers."

Colin Smith was a young man in his late twenties, with dark brown hair, and green eyes, hidden behind gold-metal framed glasses.

"Hello Mr. Smith, I'm Jeff Randall," he said, introducing himself and sticking out his hand.

"Mr. Randall," said Mr. Smith, grasping his hand and shaking it with a firm grip, "Miss Hurst has already explained you're looking into the Worthington boy's disappearance."

"Yes, that's right, I understand he was in your classroom?" Asked Jeff.

"Yes, he's a good student, Mr. Randall, he never got into any trouble."

"We're not suggesting he did, but he has disappeared," said Jeff.

"Did you notice anything before he disappeared, Mr. Smith, was he acting strangely? Any problems with other students or at home? Any reason why he might run away?" asked Jeannie.

Smith faltered, then said, "No."

Jeff picked-up on the faltering, "Are you sure? Look, Mr. Smith, Clive's father hired us, but if Clive had reason to run, our duty is to **him** , over his father. We want to find him and make sure he's all right."

"Well..."

"Come on, Mister Smith," added Jeannie, placing a hand on his arm, "Anything you tell us is confidential, we're not here to cause the school problems. We only want to help Clive."

"I'm not sure, you understand, year eight boys can be a handful. But he seemed quieter, withdrawn, the weeks before he disappeared. I... I thought about talking to him about it, but I have a total of 123 students, twenty-five students in Clive's class alone, and...  And to be frank, I didn't get 'round to speaking with Clive," Mr. Smith looked distressed, "I know his parents, and I don't think it was a problem at home. But if it was at the school... I didn't see anything that suggested something was wrong. He was just...  quiet."

"And a quiet boy is easy to handle, isn't he?" said Jeff, harshly.

"Jeff!" said Jeannie, sharply, "I apologise for my partner, Mr. Smith, So you're saying that you didn't realise there might have been a problem until after he disappeared?"

"That's right, Miss Hurst," answered Smith.

Jeff took a deep breath, then said, "I'm sorry, sir. Do you... did you, do you think he was being bullied, or harassed by other students, then?"

"Mr. Randall! This isn't some ancient prep school! We have very strong anti-bullying regulations, and mandatory training for all students. No, Clive Worthington was not being bullied."

Jeff nodded, "Well, then, what do you think **was** going on?"

Smith sighed and turned away, his shoulders slumping, he turned back and said, "I don't know, I don't know. I've been asking myself the same questions since he disappeared. I'm a good teacher, Mr. Randall, and this is a good school. I don't know what happened."

Jeff nodded, "I'm sorry I was a bit rude, Mr. Smith, it's just... the disappearance of a young boy, it's a difficult case to investigate, that's all. Look, if you think of anything, even something you think isn't important or doesn't matter, give us a ring, all right?" Jeff took out his business card, and handed it to the teacher.

Smith took the card, glanced at it, and slipped it into his pocket, "I hope you find him, Mr. Randall."

"So do we, Mr. Smith," Jeff answered, then turned towards the door, "C'mon, Jeannie.

*****

The two detectives left the staff room and made their way down the stairs to the ground floor and into the canteen.

"Jeff, what is wrong with you?" asked Jeannie, as she sat down at the small formica table.

"And what do you mean by that?" snapped Jeff, as he sat across the table from her.

"You are never rude to someone we're interviewing, not like that, what is wrong with you?"

"Nothing, Jeannie, I'm fine," Jeff answered. He looked away, then turned his attention back to her and added, "It's this case...  we're looking for a young **boy** , Jeannie!"

"I **know** that, Jeff. His father thinks he was kidnapped, so? Jeff, I'm getting concerned, first  the way you reacted when you saw that photograph, now you're jumping down the throat of people we interview. **What** are you on about?"

"You know, Jeannie..." he said, jumping as Marty appeared at his side.

"I don't, Jeff," Jeannie said, frustrated.

Jeff looked at her, confused, "Jeannie, I know Marty told you about it."

Jeannie looked at him, comprehension slowing dawning, "You don't mean because of  what happened to Marty when you both were teenagers, do you Jeff?"

Jeff  looked at Marty with a painful expression in his eyes, then closed his eyes and didn't answer.

"Jeff, you don't know what's happened to Clive.  Everyone we've talked to so far, seems forthright, there's no reason to suspect that someone is, or did, hurt Clive Worthington.  Not like that."

"But he **is** missing, Jeannie. And this is raising all sorts of ghosts for me," he glanced at Marty and said, "I can't stop thinking about it, Jeannie, I can't stop remembering what Marty was like when..." he trailed off.

Marty looked at Jeff, "Jeff... don't... it wasn't your fault, you **saved me** , Jeff, please don't... don't get lost in the past, not now, there's a thirteen-year-old boy out there someplace that needs you."

Jeannie reached across the table, and took Jeff's hand, "Jeff, you need to concentrate on **this** case. We need to sort out what happened to Clive Worthington. There hasn't been any signs of violence, Jeff."

"I know, I know, I just... I can't help this feeling that we are running out of time. That Clive Worthington is running out of time. If it was a money-grab, they would have asked for ransom by now. So either it was a grab, and something went wrong, or it's something else.  And something else, scares me, Jeannie.  It scares me, because I know how truly awful something else can be; I've seen it."

Marty began to pace, "Jeff you need to talk to this 'art teacher' .  He's anything but forthright.  And stop thinking about the past."

"Jeff, don't borrow  trouble, we need to investigate step by step, we should talk to the art teacher, and try to find this 'Mark Daley' that Sir Worthington mentioned," said Jeannie.

Jeff said, "No, you are right, Jeannie, you are absolutely right. I'm sorry, I'm...  this case has me a little stroppy, I'm afraid."

Jeannie stood, then put a hand on Jeff's shoulder, lightly, "We'll find him, Jeff."

Jeff stood, "I hope so, Jeannie, I hope so."

"Didn't Headmaster Farnham say we could see the art teacher after lunch?" asked Jeannie.

"I think we should look in on him now, see how he relates to his students," replied Jeff.

Marty nodded, "That's it, Jeff, come and watch this Williams. I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him," he paused to think a minute, "As far as I could throw him when I was alive, that is."

Jeff nodded at Marty in acknowledgement, "Let's go, Jeannie." 

*****

Jeff and Jeannie walked up the main staircase of the school to the third floor, then looked for Worthington's classroom, classes had already begun, so the hallways were quiet. As Jeff and Jeannie turned and started walking down the hall to Mr. Williams' classroom, Jeff became acutely aware of the clicking of Jeannie's heels on the hard floor in the hall, Jeff put a hand on her arm, and she stopped.

"What, Jeff?"

"It's too loud, Jeannie, your heels are too loud."

"Well, we're not exactly sneaking around the school, Jeff.  We have permission to be here."

"I know, I know, just trust me Jeannie, I want to try something. Why don't you walk past the classroom and all the way to the end of the hall, open that other door down there, then slip off your shoes and come back, all right?"

Jeannie looked at him, "Jeff, that is silly!"

"Come on, do it Jeannie, please?"

Jeannie looked at him again, "All right, but Jeff..." she stopped, changing her mind, "All right."

Jeff  walked with Jeannie as far as Williams' classroom, then stopped at the door, whilst Jeannie continued on to the end of the hall. When she opened the door, Jeff carefully looked through the glass window set in the door to the classroom. Inside, Williams was walking around the room, standing behind students, looking over them to study the paintings that each student was working on. Jeff watched for a minute, and saw Williams casually touching several of the male students in the class, but none of the female ones. As Jeff watched, he thought something was strange about Williams' behavior. Then Jeannie returned to his side, leaning on him as she slipped her shoes back on her feet.

"Now, just what did that accomplish, Jeff?"

"I'm not sure, but there is something going on, Jeannie. I know it."

Jeff  knocked on the classroom door, then opened it and entered.

"Hey, who are you? You're not supposed to be here."

"We have permission from the Headmaster," Jeff said, "We're investigating the disappearance of Clive Worthington," Jeff carefully looked at the faces of the students in the classroom as he mentioned Clive's name. Several of the students showed some reaction, though it was so brief Jeff found he couldn't suss what those reactions meant.

"And I will speak to you after luncheon, not during my classtime. Now leave, you're disturbing the students."

Jeff glared at Williams, "Right. Well, we'll see you soon, then," he turned to Jeannie, "Come on, Jeannie."

The two left the classroom, and walked down the hall. A few paces from the classroom, the two stopped. Jeff  leaned back against the hallway wall, and put his hands over his face, in a gesture of exhaustion.

Jeannie put a hand on his arm, and Jeff  jumped, then relaxed, taking his hands away from his face, "Jeff, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, Jeannie," Jeff said automatically.

Jeannie looked at him, "I know you better than that, Jeff, come on, you can tell me what's wrong."

Jeff took a deep breath, then said, "I don't know, all right? But there is definitely something not right about that teacher. The way he...  the way he was so close to those students, I mean, physically close, to the boys, and some of  them looked..." Jeff trailed off.

Jeannie looked at Jeff in shock, "I didn't see anything."

Jeff turned, and started walking down the hall, Jeannie followed him, "Jeff?  Jeff?"

Jeff stopped again, "No, you're right, Jeannie, forget it."

Jeannie glared at him, "Jeff, come on, you can tell me what is it that's bothering you?"

Jeff looked at her, "No, no I can't, Jeannie. But I don't trust that teacher, and there is something going on here. Just trust me that far. We need to keep investigating."

"Fine, Jeff.  And of course we'll keep looking, investigating," she smiled at him.

Jeff smiled back, then the two walked down the staircase again heading back to the canteen. 

*****

Jeff stopped, in the midst of walking down the hallway to the canteen, then put a hand on Jeannie's arm, "Jeannie, I can't."

"Can't what, Jeff?"

"I can't interview that George Williams! Go and wait in the canteen, and talk to him, Jeannie.  Find out if he knows anything about Clive. Ask him about Mark Daley.  And if you can, ask him why he's so bloody close to his male students, all right?"

Jeannie stared at Jeff, "Jeff? I don't understand."

Jeff groaned and moved his hands over his head, "Do it, Jeannie. Take this interview for me. I'm going to see if I can speak to any of the students, maybe I can even find Mark, but..." Jeff looked about the empty school hall, closed his eyes, then opened them and looked at Jeannie, "I don't trust him, Jeannie, so be careful, all right?"

Jeannie looked at Jeff, confused, "All right, Jeff, I'll take the interview for you," she put a hand on Jeff's arm, "Jeff, you're the one who's suspicious of him, are you sure you don't want to speak to him?"

A look of genuine fear crossed Jeff's face, "I can't, Jeannie. Look, you...  you wouldn't understand, you **can't** understand, but...  It would be better if I spoke to some of the students, all right, Jeannie? Please?"

Jeannie looked at him, "All right, all right Jeff. I'll take the interview. And I...  I **do** trust you, Jeff, I know you have, feelings, about this case. I do.  But...  Jeff , have you ever thought..." Jeannie stopped, "Never mind, I'm sorry. Go, speak to the students, go on."

Jeff nodded, then watched Jeannie walk off.  As she left the hall for the canteen, Marty appeared.

Jeff yelped.

"Jeff, what's wrong?" asked Marty, as he moved to Jeff's side.

"Nothing, Marty, I'm fine," Jeff answered automatically.

Marty looked at him critically, "You don't look fine.  Jeff, come on, tell me."

"Listen, can you stay with Jeannie? Watch her interview Williams? I mean, we're both going to be on school grounds, and I know you can't go too far from me, but it shouldn't be too far for you to go."

Marty nodded at Jeff, "Yah, all right, Jeff, I'll stay with Jeannie.  If anything goes wrong, I'll let you know."

"Thanks!" Jeff turned and started to walk down the hall.

Marty quickly moved towards Jeff and stopped right in front of him, "Jeff, what's wrong?"

"I told you, it's nothing."

"It doesn't seem to be nothing, Jeff."

"I'm suspicious, all right? That Williams... he bothers me, Marty. You said yourself that he's 'anything but forthright', and I think you're right. Something is definitely wrong."

"I know, I know I did, Jeff, but..." Marty looked at him, critically, "Never mind, Jeff, no, you go ahead and speak with the students, I'll stay with Jeannie."

Jeff nodded and smiled softly, "Thanks, Marty!" Then he turned and walked down the hall.

Marty shook his head, watching Jeff, then disappeared.

*****

A few seconds after Marty left him the school bell rang and the hall was flooded with students. Jeff allowed the tide of adolescents to push him along, when suddenly he felt a pull on his arm. Jeff turned and faced a young boy with hazel eyes, light brown hair, and nearly as tall as himself.

"Are you the one that's looking for Clive?" asked the boy.

"Yes," said Jeff, nodding his head, "Do you know something about what happened? Who are you?"

The boy looked frightened, but nodded.

"Listen, Clive's father hired me, but I'm working **for** Clive, do you understand?  I want to find him and make sure he's all right."

The boy nodded again.

Jeff looked around frantically, and saw a door a few feet to his right. He pulled the boy with him, and opened the door.  Inside was the school's library. The room was quiet and deserted.  Jeff shut the hall door.  "Do you have something to tell me?"

"Is that true, what you said, you're working for Clive? You want to help him?"

Jeff nodded vigorously, "Yes, I do."

The boy looked at Jeff, and sized him up, "I'm Mark, Mark Daley."

Jeff looked at the boy, "Everyone's been looking for you!"

"I've been here. Going to my classes."

Jeff nodded, "All right, all right. What happened on Monday?"

"We skipped. Clive didn't want to go to Williams' class, and I know what he's like, so...  I have a free hour at the end of the day on Monday, so we decided during lunch that we would skip our last class of the day," he paused, "Well, Clive's last class, I didn't have one so..."

"Can you tell me **exactly** what happened?"

"I met him after his history class, and then we walked out of the school.  Together.  We walked down the street, there's a CD store over on the High Street so we headed that way."

"You headed that way? You never got there?"

"There was a car."

"A car?"

"A man jumped out of the car, grabbed Clive, threw him into the car and then took off."

"And you never told anyone?"

"I... I tried to... but..."

Jeff nodded sympathetically, then said, "But they didn't believe you?"

"No."

"What do you remember about the car?"

"It was big, and black. Four doors. A sunroof."

"Do you remember the number plate?"

"No, I didn't get a good look. The man, he, he pushed me to the side and only took Clive."

"What did he look like?"

"He was old, with grey and black hair, and a pudgy face. He was, um, he wasn't that tall but he was taller than you."

Jeff looked at the boy, "Okay, Mark, is there anything else you remember? Anything at all?"

The boy looked at Jeff and hesitated, then said, "No."

"Are you sure?"

Mark looked up and down at Jeff, then said, "Um, no. Are you really a detective?"

Jeff looked at the boy, surprised, "Yes, I'm really a detective. Why?"

"You don't look like the detectives on telly."

Jeff smiled, "Well, I'm a bit different than the detectives on telly.  Now, is there anything else you remember, anything at all?"

"No. Do you think you can find him?"

"I hope so, I do. Mark, I need to ask you a couple more questions.  Was Clive in any trouble? Was someone hurting him or threatening to hurt him at home or at school?"

Mark looked down at the floor and then said, "I need to leave, I'm going to be late for class."

Jeff  looked at Mark, then said, "You can tell me if someone was threatening him, Mark.  I'll believe you. Was it Professor Williams?"

A look of fear crossed Mark's face, "I really need to leave, I don't want to be late," Mark backed away, heading for the door to the hall.

"Mark, it's okay, you can tell me, honestly!" Jeff shouted.

But Mark was already leaving. Jeff followed him to the door, but Mark had disappeared down the hall.


	3. Chapter 3

********

Chapter 3

********

Jeff headed back down the hallway towards the canteen, he opened the door and glanced around the room, but he didn't see Jeannie. Then Marty suddenly appeared in front of him. Jeff jumped.

"Jeff, come on, Jeannie's still talking to Williams, in the staff room. You need to be there, Jeff!"

Jeff looked at Marty, "Did he threaten her? Or hurt her, Marty?"

Marty looked at him, "Well, no, but...  Jeff , you need to be there."

Jeff nodded tiredly, then headed for the stairs. He reached the third floor and headed down the hallway to the staff room. Suddenly, the staff room door opened and Williams rushed out. He pushed pass Jeff then headed down the stairs quickly. Jeff glanced at Marty and then ran towards Jeannie, calling for her as he opened the door.

Jeannie stood alone in the staff room, looking annoyed. "Jeff?"

Jeff calmed himself when he saw she was all right, "Jeannie? I saw Williams run out of here, are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Jeff, but he was a little cross with me."

"A little?"

Jeannie nodded, "Hum-um, I think you're right, though, he's involved in whatever happened to Clive."

Jeff nodded, "I found Mark Daley, I talked to him. He witnessed Clive being bundled off  in a car. I think we should either see if any other students saw anything, or go back to the office."

"Let's go back to the office, Jeff, I'm getting  tired."

Jeff moved closer to her, "But you're all right, yah?"

"I'm fine, I'm just a little tired."

Jeff nodded again, "All right, Let's go back to the office. Do you want me to drive?"

Jeannie nodded at him and the two left Abbotts Field Comprehensive School, Jeff drove them, in Jeannie's convertible, back to the office.

*****

Jeff held the door open for Jeannie, then followed her into the outer office.

Jeannie yawned.

"Jeannie, you really do sound tired. Why don't you lie down on the sofa in the inner office and take some kip, eh? I'll stay out here and answer the phones so you can rest."

Jeannie looked at him and nodded, "You know, normally I wouldn't? But I am very tired, and I think I could do with a nap."

Jeff put his hand on her arm, "Go ahead, Jeannie, it's all right."

Jeannie nodded, her hand on her face, "This doesn't mean I can't work, or go in the field to investigate with you, Jeff."

"I know, Jeannie, I know," Jeff said as she entered the inner office, and then he pulled the door shut behind her.

Jeff took off  his coat, hanging it on the coat rack, then sat at the desk in the outer office, when Marty appeared.

"Marty? What happened during her interview with Williams?"

"I didn't like him, Jeff."

"I **know** that, Marty, I do, but what happened?  Why is Jeannie so tired?  Is it just because of the pregnancy, or did Williams..." Jeff let that hang.

"He didn't hurt her, Jeff.  He was rude, and evasive, and..." Marty stopped, then said, "And I don't trust him."

"I know that, Marty, neither do I."

"He really didn't answer any of her questions.  He said Clive wasn't his best student, that he frequently missed class. He remembered Mark Daley from last year and labeled him a troublemaker. When Jeannie asked about his behaviour with the boys in his class, he got defensive.  She pressed and he stormed out."

"So nothing conclusive, then?"

"No. I'm sorry, Jeff."

Jeff leaned back in the desk chair, "Marty, is there any way you could find Clive?"

Marty winced, "I can't, the further I go from you, the less my powers are. It was difficult for me to stay and look after Jeannie, and you were in the same building. I'm sorry."

Jeff was saved from answering by the phone ringing, "Randall and Hopkirk Security Services, yes, hello?"

He listened on the phone a minute, "That's right, I'm Jeff Randall, Who is this?"

Jeff  listened again, then began to frantically write on a scrape of paper in front of him, "Right, okay, I got it! Listen, who is this?" There was a click on the phone, then Jeff set down the receiver.

"Well?" said Marty.

"That, was a tip. They said Clive was being held in a warehouse down by the Thames, I've written down the address," Jeff quickly wrote a note with the address on another piece of paper, and set it in the middle of the desk, then he stood up, got his jacket from the coat rack, and put it on. He took the scrap of paper he'd originally written the information on with him.

"Finally, a break!" said Marty, then he looked at the door to the inner office, "What about Jeannie?"

"Let her sleep, this might be dangerous," Jeff said grimly, "I've left the address, if something happens she'll phone the police. I hope."  Then he walked out of the office. 

***** 

Jeff rushed into the disused warehouse his heart beating loudly in his ears, the inside of the warehouse was shadowy and the air thick with dust. Jeff scanned the room, "Marty, Marty do you see him?" he called out.

Marty materialized next to Jeff, then looked 'round the warehouse, "I'll start searching, Jeff," he said, then disappeared.

Jeff crept along, looking for Clive Worthington, he jumped as Marty appeared near him, "Jeff, I..."

"What Marty, Did you find him? Where is he?"

"Jeff, Jeff, I'm sorry, it's too late..."

"What? No, no it can't be, I have to be on time, I have to save him. Marty, tell me where he is!"

Marty looked at Jeff with pain in his eyes, "Wait, Jeff, I'm sorry, but..."

"Marty, tell me where he is! If you found him, then tell me."

"He's over there, far corner, " he pointed, "Jeff, I'm sorry, I am, but it's... he's gone, Jeff."

Jeff looked at Marty, than ran off in the direction Marty pointed. Marty watched Jeff run off, pain in his own eyes, then disappeared.

Jeff ran through the warehouse in the direction that Marty had pointed, tripping over old boxes and pieces of metal as he paid no attention but to focus on where he was going and the boy he must save. Jeff reached the corner of the warehouse, light filtered through a dirty skylight, and the child that Jeff had been searching for, lay on an old metal  table with a artificial wood top. Jeff reached the boy, then gasped in horror.

Clive Worthington's naked body was covered in bruises and cuts, he had been stabbed, and lay in a pool of his own blood. His head was pillowed on his school uniform jacket, and his clothes lay in a heap next to the table.

Jeff took a deep breath to steady his nerves, then reached down, checking the boy's pulse, whilst looking away. When he realised there wasn't one, Jeff let out an involuntary groan, then felt sick. He turned from the boy and walked away, then was sick all over the floor of the warehouse. Jeff wiped his mouth on a handkerchief, dropped the handkerchief and then stepped away from the mess. Returning to the body, he hastily covered it with his suit jacket, then reached for his mobile phone and dialed the police. Once he had finished reporting what had happened, he called Jeannie, leaving a message when she didn't answer, then collapsed onto the floor of the warehouse, laying his head on his knees, quietly.

Marty watched his mate, his own eyes filling with ghostly tears, then he felt the presence of another spirit. Marty knelt, looking at the boy, and said softly. "Here, here, it's all over now, Clive, the pain's all gone, and it's over."

The boy pointed at his own body.

"Come with me, you'll be all right," Marty said, then approached the ghost child, gently picked him up and took him upstairs. But, once giving the child's spirit to the care of Wyvern, he immediately returned to Jeff.

When Marty returned, Jeff was still sitting on the floor next to the body, starring straight ahead in shock.

"Jeff," Marty said quietly. When there was no response, he spoke louder, "Jeff!  Jeff, say something, please."

But Jeff only sat, staring into space, ignoring Marty as if he couldn't even hear him.

"Jeff, come on, at least let me know that you can hear me!  Jeff!" Marty shouted again, "Jeff, come on! Jeff!"

"Marty,  what do you want?"

Marty just looked at him, "Well, at least I know you haven't suddenly gone deaf.  Jeff...  what?"

Jeff looked away, "I can't talk about it, Marty."

"Come on, you can, Jeff, tell me what you're feeling. Tell me sommat!"

Jeff shook his head.

Marty looked at him, but recognised his non-communicative look. "Fine, well, I trust you don't mind if I stay here next to you, Jeff. Because I'm not leaving."

"Yah, sure, whatever, Marty.  Suit yourself,"  then Jeff continued to stare into space.

Marty stood next to him, trying to offer support, and truly frightened by his best mate's reaction.

*****

Once the police had left, Jeff had made his way to the nearest pub, his mind full of the intent to get good and drunk.

He found **The Laughing Cavalier** and entered, moving straight to the bar, where he ordered a pint of bitter, then took it to a corner table, near the back of the pub. Jeff downed the pint quickly, then returned for another pint, adding a whiskey chaser to his order.

Marty appeared next to Jeff in the dark corner of the bar, "Jeff, What are you doing?"

"What do you think, Marty?" Jeff snapped, angrily.

"Don't, come on, you know how you get when you've had too much to drink, Jeff!"

"Marty, it doesn't matter what you think and you can't stop me."

Marty looked at Jeff with hurt in his eyes.   Jeff looked up and saw his mate's expression, then deliberately picked up the full whiskey chaser and downed it in one gulp.

Marty looked at him, then said carefully, "You need to stop, you know what too much drinking does to you," Marty paused then said, "I don't want to see you like this, Jeff, I don't."

"Then leave," Jeff snapped.

Marty looked at him, "No, Jeff, you need me too much right now."

Jeff looked at his mate, then his tone softened, "Maybe you're right, Marty, maybe I should stop, but I just don't think I can," Jeff raised his pint and finished it, "I...  it will help me to forget, I think,"  Jeff stood up and walked to the bar to get himself another pint.

Marty watched Jeff walk to the bar, then shook his head, when Jeff returned to his seat, Marty said, "Jeff, all this is doing is making you even more depressed.  It's not helping."

Jeff nodded, "I know that, Marty, I do."

Marty groaned in frustration, "Then why, Jeff?"

"I don't know," Jeff answered.

Marty groaned again, then saw Jeannie approaching through the smoky haze of the pub, _she'll help him_ , he thought, then said, "I need to go, Jeff," without waiting for a response he disappeared.

*****

At that moment Jeff noticed Jeannie approaching through the smoky haze of the pub.

"Jeff?" she asked, approaching his table.

"Jeannie... What are you doing here?"

"More's the question, why are you here? You don't drink, Jeff, not like this."

"There's a landlord over there at the bar that would disagree with that, Jeannie."

"Jeff, I've been to the warehouse, I know what you found, but getting drunk..."

He interrupted her, "...is exactly what I'm doing."

Jeannie looked at him, sitting down across from him at the table, "Why?"

"Why?  If you'd been to the warehouse, you know **why** ,  Jeannie," Jeff replied nastily.

Jeannie looked at him, again, shocked by the tone. "Jeff, it wasn't your fault.   You did everything you could to find the Worthington boy.  Jeff..." she took his hand, "You did everything you possibly could."

"And it wasn't enough. Jeannie, just leave me be. Maybe when I've sobered-up we can talk, but right now, all I want is to get enough pints in me to forget seeing Marty's body in that warehouse.  Now, Jeannie, leave me be."

"Marty? Jeff, What are you talking about?"

Jeff looked at her, then said, "I said Marty? I meant Clive Worthington, of course I did."

Jeannie looked at him strangely.

"Jeannie, I...  Jeannie he was..." Jeff stopped for a minute, then said, "I found Clive's body,  Jeannie,  and he'd been...  it was awful, horrible..." Jeff  shuddered, then continued while staring at his pint, "And right now, all I want is to forget what I saw."

Jeannie again looked at him, then said deliberately, "Jeff, I think you've had enough to drink, come on, I'll take you home."

Jeff leaned forward across the table, "No, Jeannie, I'm all right."

"You're not, Jeff!" said Jeannie, reaching out towards him.

"Leave me alone!" said Jeff, pulling away sharply from her. The table rocked, and both Jeff and Jeannie lost their balance and fell to the floor. Jeff shook himself, and rolled, then pushed himself up, "Jeannie?"

Jeannie sat stunned, next to her chair, on the floor of the pub.

The patrons of the pub were now all staring at them. "Hey, what did you do?" said one man, before walking towards Jeannie.

Jeff shrank back against the wall of the pub, and whimpered, "Nothing!  I didn't...  I'm sorry, Jeannie. Jeannie, are you all right? Jeannie?"

Jeannie had recovered herself, as the man who'd spoken earlier helped her up, "Are you all right, miss?"

"I'm fine, thank you," said Jeannie, brushing herself off, and moving towards Jeff.

Jeff stood, approaching Jeannie, "Are you all right? Jeannie, I'm sorry.  It really was an accident, Jeannie, I didn't mean..." Jeff trailed off, and looked pointedly at her stomach, then he turned away from her, "Jeannie, I am so sorry.  I'm sorry.  Get away from me, Jeannie, before you get hurt."

Jeannie walked over to him, putting a hand on his shoulder, "Jeff, I'm fine.  I know it was an accident, I know you didn't mean it, but will you please let me take you home?"

Jeff turned towards her, his eyes full of desolation.

Jeannie gasped at the look in his eyes, "Jeff?"

"Take me home, Jeannie," Jeff finally said, quietly.

Jeannie took his arm, "Come on, then," and led him out of the pub.

***** 

They left the pub and stood in the cool night air for a moment.

Jeff looked at her contritely, "Jeannie, I'm sorry. It was an accident, I didn't mean for you to fall. You sure you're all right? Jeannie..." Jeff looked pointedly at her stomach, "You are all right, aren't you?" Jeff brought his hands, knuckles in, to his face and turned away, "God, I'm pathetic, what is wrong with me?"

Jeannie put a hand on Jeff's shoulder, "Jeff, I'm fine. Maybe you should sleep it off,  first, but we do need to talk, all right?"

Jeff nodded, quietly.

Jeannie took his arm and guided him to her car.

"What about my car?" asked Jeff, as they passed his own.

"You are certainly not capable of driving Jeff, we'll get it in the morning."

"Might have solved all my problems, though," Jeff muttered then he walked around to the passenger side of Jeannie's convertible.

Jeannie looked at Jeff as he walked away from her, she opened the driver's side door and got in, then turned in the seat towards Jeff, "What did you mean, Jeff?"

Marty appeared in the back seat, "Jeff,  I think we need to talk."

Jeff  looked at Marty, then at Jeannie, and said quietly, "Jeannie, I...  it was merely a thought, a whim, but... driving off in my car, tonight, when I've, when I've had too much to drink, the likely result might have solved my problems for me."

Jeannie gasped, as did Marty. Then  Jeannie put a hand on Jeff's arm, "Jeff, you need to talk to me. You need to talk right now. If your thoughts are so dark, so casually, it's more than one night of drinking."

Jeff looked at her, then he looked at Marty, then he said, quietly, "I can't explain it. Jeannie, I...  I haven't felt right since Sir Worthington walked into the office. And...  and I keep thinking about Marty, Jeannie."

"You mentioned him earlier, Jeff, what are you thinking?"

Jeff  looked at Marty, then turned his head towards Jeannie and said, "I'm... I'm beginning to feel  like I'd be better off if I joined him."

"No, god, Jeff, no, you can't," said Jeannie.

Marty looked at Jeff in shock, his eyes full of pain, "No, Jeff, please don't, please..."

"You think so? It's not like it isn't something I've tried before, Jeannie."

"What? My god, Jeff!"

Jeff turned away and looked out of the window, then said quietly, "He was thirteen, that boy was thirteen, Jeannie, and he's dead because I couldn't save him!"

"Jeff, it was **not** your fault!" Marty shouted at him, startling Jeff.

Jeannie carefully put a hand to Jeff's face and turned him towards her, "It wasn't your fault, Jeff.  It wasn't. You did everything you could."

"Wasn't enough, though, was it, Jeannie?"

"Jeff, I think you need to talk to someone.  I do.  A professional, Jeff."

Jeff shrank into the corner of the car seat and didn't answer.

"Jeff, come on, snap out of it!" Marty insisted.

"Jeff, please, I've already lost Marty, I can't lose you too!" yelled Jeannie, tears in her eyes and her voice.

Jeff, shivered, and broke himself out of his trance-like state, then said, carefully, "You won't,  Jeannie, I'm all right. I'm sorry, it was only a passing thought.  And I'm drunk, Jeannie, I mean, obviously. Too much alcohol always depresses me, Jeannie."

Jeannie nodded, "Jeff, please tell me that you're not just saying that."

"I'm all right," Jeff turned to her and put a hand on her arm, "I'm okay, really, Jeannie, just take me home. I need to sleep."

"Look after him for me, Jeannie," Marty whispered, even though he knew she couldn't hear him.

Jeannie looked at him with concern, then started the car, "All right, Jeff, but I'm not going to forget about this conversation."

"Um-hum," Jeff mumbled, then turned towards the car door, and settled in for a sleep.

Marty disappeared.

Jeannie pulled the car out of the car park and onto the road, but muttered to herself, "Jeff, I need you, and I'm going to look after you. I won't lose you, not so soon after  Marty, I won't." 

***** 

They had arrived at Jeff's flat, and Jeannie held  Jeff's arm as she brought him inside. She saw to it that he sat on the sofa, first, then turned and shut the flat's outer door. Then Jeannie walked over to the sofa.

Jeff sat, staring into space, not moving, and not speaking. Marty appeared behind him and said, "Jeff? What is it?"

Jeannie sat next to Jeff on the sofa and said to him, "Jeff, What is it? Come on, talk to me, Jeff."

Jeff shook his head and pulled away from her.

Jeannie shook her head, "Jeff, come on,  just talk, say something,  Jeff."

Jeff simply sat, frozen, not talking and not moving.

Jeannie sighed, then said, "All right, then, how about sleeping, Jeff? Can you do that?"

Jeff finally reacted, standing up with a sigh, then saying, "I'm not a child, Jeannie, I just do **not** want to talk about it. Can't you accept that? For once, Jeannie, stop telling me to talk to you."

Jeannie nodded at him, "All right, Jeff, let's get you into bed, then, all right?"

Jeff nodded, allowed Jeannie to lead him to the bedroom, once there, he turned to Jeannie, "I can get myself undressed, Jeannie, and I'm fine," he stopped, looked at her doubtful expression and continued, "Okay, I'm not fine but...  Jeannie, listen, I **desperately** need some sleep, and I regret what I said in the car park, I'm not  that messed up, Jeannie. You can leave, all right? Go."

Jeannie nodded at him, "I'll sleep on the sofa, Jeff," then she started for the bedroom door.

"You don't need to stay, Jeannie," Jeff called after her.

Jeannie stopped, frozen, turned and said, "Yes, I do, Jeff.  I do.  I owe it to Marty to stay with you tonight."

"To Marty? You owe it to Marty?"

With a hand on her stomach, Jeannie nodded, "He would never have left you alone, when you are like this, Jeff.  Never.  And neither will I, so don't even try to change my mind. Get ready for bed. Get **some** sleep. We'll talk in the morning."

Marty stood between Jeff and Jeannie and said, "You tell him, Jeannie, I wouldn't have left him. And I will stay, as long as I can."

Jeff looked from Jeannie to Marty to Jeannie and caved in, "Okay. You can stay, Jeannie. Do you need pillows, a blanket, anything?"

"I'll find it. Get ready for bed, and then sleep, Jeff."

Jeff nodded.

*****

Jeff shut the door behind Jeannie, then took off his tie and jacket, and dropped them to the floor. He moved to the bed and sat, then began to undress himself.

"Jeff?" asked Marty quietly.

"Yeah, what is it?" Jeff answered, tiredly.

"Jeff, um, you scared me earlier tonight."

Jeff nodded, "I know.  I'm sorry."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No.  Yes.  Maybe.  I don't know, Marty. Right now, I'm so tired I can't think, and it might be better if I did get some sleep."

Marty nodded, "All right, I know you're tired. Go on, then, go to sleep. But if you want to talk, Jeff, think of me. Think **hard** , Jeff, and I'll feel it, okay? I mean, I know I've never explained it to you, but it works both ways, I think about you and here I am, or you think about me and I can feel that, and I'll come to you. Okay?"

Jeff nodded, "You can really feel it when I think about you, Marty? Really?"

Marty nodded, "Yah, I can, Jeff."

Jeff looked at Marty, awed, "Can you read my thoughts?"

"No, but I can...  Jeff, I've known you forever, and I've **always** felt that I can tell what your feeling or thinking. Even when I was alive, I could tell what you were thinking or feeling, most of the time. Now, I can... sometimes I can..."

"You can read my feelings? My emotions?" said Jeff.

"Yes, Jeff," Marty answered, looking down at the floor.

Jeff  looked up at Marty, "It's all right, Marty, I felt the same way when...  when you were alive, I knew what you were feeling, what you were thinking, I did. I understand what you mean, Marty, really."

Marty nodded again, "So I'm very worried about you, Jeff.  I felt something, something very dark and wrong with you and I went to you and you were talking to Jeannie in the car.  Jeff, I..." Marty stopped, changing his mind, "No, you need to sleep, Jeff, go ahead and rest now, and we will talk in the morning.  Or tonight, if you need me."

Jeff nodded, again, "Marty, thanks.  I'm glad you were here, with me, tonight," then he crawled under the covers.

Marty sighed, watching Jeff settle in to sleep, and thought, _I only wish I was physically here, Jeff. I wish I could hold you right now_.  Then he disappeared.


	4. Chapter 4

********

Chapter 4

********

Jeff woke up with a start, and realised the room was filled with light, he stretched and got up, recognising his own bedroom. _How'd I get here? What did I do last night?_ , he walked into the bathroom and washed his face, then returned to his bedroom to put on a dressing gown, before walking out into the lounge.

Jeannie was asleep on the sofa.

"Jeannie?" Jeff said, seeing her there.

Jeannie rolled and woke up, "Jeff, you're awake."

"Yah, um, Jeannie, what happened last night?"

"You don't remember, Jeff?"

"Not really no. How'd I get here?'

"You were very drunk, last night, Jeff.  I took you home."

Jeff nodded, "I was? And? Listen, Jeannie, I really can't remember anything. I didn't do anything, untoward, last night, did I?"

"Not untoward, Jeff, not like you mean, but Jeff...  Listen, what is the last thing you remember?"

"Arguing with Marty in a pub," Jeff said automatically.

"Arguing with **Marty** in a pub? You don't remember the last three months?"

Jeff looked at her, then said, "Did I say Marty? Really? No, I meant... I remember the warehouse, Jeannie, and finding... finding the body.  And I remember that I decided to get really drunk, stupid,  I know,  but I did decide to get drunk, though, so I went into a pub.  It's not clear, after that, though. Did I get into a fight?"

"No, not a fight."

"Then what, Jeannie?" Jeff sat down on a chair opposite her, "Would you tell me what I did last night? Because I think I need to know."

Jeannie nodded, "Okay, Jeff, but, well, keep in mind you were drunk. I woke up in the office and it was dark, and you were gone.  I found the piece of paper with the warehouse address, and then I listened to your message on the answerphone, but it took me some time to find the warehouse. When I got there, there were police everywhere. I finally found out what had happened, but no one knew where you had gone. Eventually, one of the younger officers said you had said something about a pub. So I started looking, Jeff.  I looked in every pub I could find near that warehouse, until I found you."

Jeff nodded, "So, you found me, and I was drunk?"

"You were drunk, you were confused, Jeff.  You kept talking about Marty.  It took me some time, but I finally convinced you to let me drive you home."

"Oh, so you brought me home, and that was it?"

Jeannie looked at him, "You really don't remember, do you?"

Jeff looked at her, "No, I don't.  Jesus, Jeannie, what did I do?"

"Jeff, we were in the car park, and..." Jeannie voice began to shake, "We walked past your car, and suddenly  you, you asked about the car, so I told you we'd get it in the morning, and you said, you said, " _Would have solved all my problems for me, though_ ".  God, Jeff, so I asked you about that inside my car, and you told me... Jeff you flat out told me that, first, you'd been thinking about joining Marty, and second that it was something you'd tried before!  God, Jeff, tried before?  What did you mean, tried before?"

Jeff looked at her, shocked, "I really said all that?'

"Yes, Jeff, you did. Now talk to me about it."

"Well, I... yes, Jeannie, I attempted suicide.  Once.  A long, long time ago.  And I don't want to talk about it. But I don't know why I'd say I thought about joining Marty? I've never thought like that Jeannie."

"You did make an attempt though?"

"A long time ago, yah.  And Marty was there, he saved my life, as it happens.  Jeannie, really, I'm fine now. It's definitely not something I like to talk about, but I'm fine now."

"Why would you say you were thinking of joining Marty?  Why would you tell me that smashing your car would solve your problems?  Jeff, what problems?"

Jeff looked at her, "It has been a very difficult case.  I suppose I was drunk.  I get very depressed when I drink too much, Jeannie. That's why I seldom have more than a pint or two."

"Jeff, are you sure it isn't more than that?"

"I think so. I mean, I haven't felt **right** since Sir Worthington came into the office, but I haven't felt that wrong, either.  Not so as I'd consider something like, well, like dying, Jeannie.  I wouldn't do that do you.  Especially now, with a baby coming.  I mean, Marty's baby, Jeannie, that's fantastic!"

Jeannie looked at him smiling, so different that the horribly depressed, horribly morose man she'd dealt with the night before. "Jeff, is there anything else you want to tell me?"

"I don't think so. I mean, well, this case has reminded me of some things I went through with Marty, a long, long time ago, but it's..." Jeff left off, then continued "I'm fine, Jeannie, I'm all right. I mean, considering what I saw yesterday. Clive Worthington was only thirteen, after all, and I did find the body, but...  Jeannie I'm not going to hurt myself. I don't know why I implied I would, maybe it was because I was so drunk, but I'm okay now.  Really."

"Okay, Jeff. Get cleaned up and dressed, and I'll take you out to breakfast, okay?"

"Sure, Jeannie."

A few minutes later, Jeff returned to the living room, dressed, shaved and cleaned-up, "Jeannie, we need to phone the Worthingtons, I never contacted them yesterday and..."

"It's all right, Jeff.  I contacted them.  Sir Worthington needed to identify Clive's body for the police, he will be over to the office later today.  We have time for breakfast."

"Okay, Jeannie, well, I'm ready, we may as well go."

"All right, Jeff."

***** 

Jeff and Jeannie returned to the office, and Jeff went straight to his desk, and picked up the phone. He searched the desk, found the piece of paper with Worthington's secretary's name on it and dialed, without even sitting at his desk. Jeff spoke into the phone, nodded a few times, then hung-up the phone, walked around and then sat at his desk.

"Jeff?" asked Jeannie, standing in front of Jeff's desk.

"They're coming, Jeannie, Sir and Lady Worthington are coming here, this afternoon.'

"I know, I told you that, Jeff, I took care of it, remember?"

Jeff sighed, "I know, but I wanted to make sure, they will need to know what happened."

"Okay,  Jeff," said Jeannie, nodded, then she went and sat at Marty's desk, as she sat, she groaned a bit.

"Jeannie? You all right?"

Jeannie nodded, "I'm fine, ate too much for breakfast, I normally eat light, don't worry so much, Jeff. Listen, remember that photo album you showed me a few days ago? You want to frame some of the pictures?"

"That's a great idea, Jeannie!" Jeff said, smiling, "We need to stay in the office, until the Worthingtons arrive, and I haven't gotten a copy of the coroner's report, not yet.  The police may be here sometime today, so..."

"So you're saying, we're stuck in the office and you don't mind brightening the place up a bit?" Jeannie smiled.

Jeff smiled at her, "I told you, I didn't mean it when I snapped at you, Jeannie.  And sure, why not, the office could use a little cheering up!" He got up and walked to Marty's desk, and opened the picture album, that had sat there since he'd shown it to her earlier.

Jeannie opened the carrier bag that she'd left on the desk, and took out the frames, then started looking at the pictures with Jeff. "Marty came to live with you when he was fourteen?" she asked.

"Yah, Jeannie," Jeff answered, then he pointed to one of the pictures, "I remember that, we went to one of those silly street carnivals, that was the summer after...  the summer after Marty moved in."

Jeannie nodded, then carefully took the picture out and put it in a frame.

Suddenly Marty appeared, "Jeff!  Jeff?" he shouted.  Then he noticed that Jeannie and Jeff were sitting calmly, perfectly all right, and Marty calmed down.

Jeff looked at Marty, then said to Jeannie, "Keep going through the pictures, Jeannie, I'll be back in a minute, okay?"

Jeannie nodded, flipping through the pages.

Jeff left the inner office, then walked through to the outer office and shut that door, before turning to Marty, "Marty?"

"Sorry, Jeff, your thoughts were very intense!  I thought you were in desperate trouble."

"Oh," Jeff nodded, "Sorry, the memories were strong, looking at the pictures. Do you remember that little street carnival, Marty?"

Marty nodded, "I do, Jeff, and I'm sorry.  It's all right for you to remember the good times, Jeff, I didn't mean to alarm you when I popped in."

"No, that's okay, Marty, I understand, the last few days, I have been, well, in trouble, when I've thought of you."

Marty nodded, "Do you need to talk to me, Jeff?"

"Probably, but I can't right now, Marty. I mean, I have to speak to Clive's parents, today, and I'll probably need to speak to the police, and I'm actually enjoying going through those pictures with Jeannie, I mean, it's been so long, and it..."

"Feels good to remember?" Marty said, finishing Jeff's sentence.

"Yah, it does, Marty," said Jeff, "I should get back in there, you know."

Marty nodded, "Go on, Jeff, go ahead. It's okay."

"You don't mind?"

"Jeff, I'm happy that you weren't in trouble, all right? For once! Now, go ahead, go back to Jeannie.  I really should go back to Wyvern, anyway. I'm still trying to find out what he knows about Jeannie and my baby. He's not telling me sommat, and..."

Jeff nodded, "So we both have things to do. Listen, I'll talk to you soon, all right?"

Marty nodded, smiling, "Don't worry so much, Jeff!" Then he disappeared.

Jeff walked back into the office and to Jeannie.

* * * * *

Jeff sat at his desk in his office, drumming his fingers on the desk.

"Stop that, Jeff," said Jeannie, briskly.

Jeff glared at her, then rose from his desk and began pacing in front of it.

Jeannie glared at him, then got up and put her hand on his arm to stop him from moving, "Jeff, please, sit down."

Jeff nodded and returned to his desk.

"I don't know why you're so nervous, Jeff, it's just a meeting with clients, you'll be fine."

Jeff let out a loud sigh, "I don't know, Jeannie, I don't know how the Worthingtons' are going to react. Not well, I 'spose."

"The police will have told them most everything,  Jeff,  it's not as if you were breaking the news."

"Yah, but..." said Jeff, when there was a noise from the outer office.  Jeannie rose from her desk and went to the door that separated the inner and outer offices, then she opened the door.

"Sir Worthington, Lady Worthington, come in," Jeannie said politely, motioning  towards the chairs before Jeff's desk.

Jeff rose from his desk, "Sir Worthington, Lady Worthington, please let me express my deepest sympathies," he said, formally.

Sir Worthington nodded, "Thank you," he said equally as formerly, then he sat in a chair before Jeff's desk. His wife sat at his side.

Jeff and Jeannie each sat down.

Lady Worthington looked at Jeff, then said, "What happened? What happened to our Clive? I don't understand!" She put her gloved hand to her face, and touched it lightly.

Jeff took a deep breath, but Jeannie interrupted before he could speak, "I'm sorry, I am, but surely, the police told you, Lady Worthington?"

Sir Worthington looked towards Jeannie, and moisture came to his eyes, "Patience didn't accompany me to the... to see Clive's..." he took a deep breath, "I went alone, but I told her... I told her some of what happened." He looked at his wife.

Jeff nodded, "Again, I am so sorry.  It was my fault, I didn't find him soon enough.  I wanted too, believe me, I would have done anything to have found him alive."

Lady Patience looked at Jeff, and nodded, briefly, "I'm sure it wasn't your fault, young man, it was my husband who insisted we wait before contacting anyone."

Sir Worthington worried his lip, then answered his wife, "I'm so sorry. Believe me, Patty, I am. I thought I was doing the best for Clive. I thought I was protecting him."

"Ha!" sneered Lady Patience, "Now, tell me, what happened to my boy?"

Jeff took another deep breath, when Jeannie interrupted him again, "Well, Clive was..."

Jeff interrupted her, "Jeannie, please, let me tell them, all right?"

"You sure, Jeff? It's been so difficult for you."

"Jeannie! Would you like to get us some tea?"

"Not really."

"Then shush, and let me tell them, please," he said to her sharply, then he turned his attention to the older couple before him, "I'm very, very sorry, Sir and Lady Worthington.  I, we, went to Abbotts Field Comp, and talked to the headmaster, and a few teachers there.  Later we returned to the office, Jeannie was resting and I received a tip. I went to the warehouse and I found Clive.  I'm very sorry, but he was already gone when I got there."

Lady Worthington nodded, then said, "And his condition?"

Jeff looked at her, quizzically.

"My husband won't tell me, Mr. Randall, perhaps you will."

Sir Worthington reached a hand over to his wife, "I...  I had to identify his body, and I saw...  I wanted to spare you knowing, Patty dear."

"And I want to know, I'm his... I **was** his mother, I have a right to know, Geoffrey."

Jeff looked up, then realised that she was referring to her husband. "All right, I'm sorry, I'm very sorry, but went I found him, your son was naked. He'd been beaten quite badly, I'm afraid."

Lady Worthington nodded.

Sir Worthington took her hand, then whispered, "The police, the medical staff, they told me...  he was abused, Patty, our Clive was..."

"I haven't seen a coroner's report, yet, but I think he had been molested, Lady Worthington, the bruises were horrific, and I still haven't gotten the image out of my head," added Jeff.

Lady Worthington nodded again, then burst into tears. Sir Worthington went to her and held her, then helped her to stand. Sir Worthington turned to Jeff, "Thank you, Mr. Randall, for...  for trying, anyway.  It wasn't your fault, you know."

Jeff nodded, wiping tears from his eyes, and rising from his desk. Jeannie rose as well and joined Jeff and the Worthingtons in the middle of the office.

"I'm sorry," said Jeannie, softly.

"I'm so sorry, I am," said Jeff.

Sir Worthington turned to Jeff, and offered him his hand, "It's all right, thank you."

Jeff nodded, and shook the man's hand.

Lady Worthington looked at Jeff, "Thank you. Thank you for being so forthright with me, and thank you, just  thank you," she left off, tears in her eyes.

Sir Worthington put his arm around her shoulders, "Come on, dear, we should leave," he began to steer her towards the way out, saying to Jeff as they left, "Thank you again, thank you both," he said, acknowledging Jeannie at last.

Jeff nodded, watching the couple leave the office, then he returned to his desk and sat.

Jeannie moved to the desk and sat on the edge, "That wasn't so bad, now was it?"

Jeff shook his head, "No, it wasn't," he said simply, "But I... I still feel like it was my fault," he went over to the filing cabinet, opened a drawer, and took out a bottle of whisky, and a glass.

"Jeff, I don't think you should..." Jeannie started.

"I need a drink, Jeannie, don't worry, I'm not planning on getting legless, but I need a drink."

Jeannie looked at him, then looked at the bottle, then went to the door that led to the outer office, "I'm not going to watch you get drunk, Jeff, I'll be back later."

"I'm not going to get drunk!" Jeff shouted at her, but Jeannie was already leaving. "Fine!" Shouted Jeff, "Leave! I'd rather be alone," but his shouts only echoed in the empty office

* * * * *

**Later that evening**

Jeannie returned to the office, slamming open the door and striding into the inner office, "Jeff, Jeff, I'm sorry..." but as she entered the inner office she gasped, "Oh, Jeff."

 Jeff stood near the window in the inner office, a glass of whiskey in his hand, then turned from looking out the window and faced Jeannie. "Jeannie when Marty was..." Jeff's eyes filled with tears, he took a deep, steadying breath, and continued, "When Marty was raped, I was only fifteen, Jeannie, and barely fifteen at that. He told me what happened, but I didn't entirely understand, not really. I only knew he was hurt, terribly hurt. In the days and months that followed I learnt more, the counseling sessions, his nightmares..." Jeff broke off, and turned back towards the window.

Jeannie moved closer to him, looking at his back, and saw Jeff was shaking. She went to him, put an arm around his shoulders, and said, "Shush, Jeff, it's okay," she quietly took the whiskey from his hand, and set it on the desk, "You've had enough of that, though."

Jeff turned and fell into her arms, "It was hellish, Jeannie, but Marty survived,  just.  I had months of counseling, and Marty had more, a year, a solid year.  Even then he was plagued by nightmares, but we made it through. We **both** made it through, we both survived."

"That's right, **you did** , Jeff," said Jeannie, holding him tight and rubbing his back.

Marty appeared at that moment, and saw Jeff in Jeannie's arms, "Hey, Jeff...  that's my fiancée!" said Marty.

Jeff ignored Marty and closed his eyes, "Clive Worthington, oh god, Jeannie. He looked so much like Marty.   He was only a year younger than Marty when Marty...  when Marty was...  oh, god, Jeannie," Jeff began to cry in earnest, his head on Jeannie's shoulder, "Oh my god, Jeannie."

"Jeff? Jeff, man, what is it?" said Marty, looking at his mate in confusion.

"Clive was young and horribly hurt...  god," said Jeff, opening his eyes, Jeff shuddered as the images hit him again, "When...  when I found him in the disused warehouse, it was as if it were Marty and he **hadn't**  survived. I felt like I was fifteen again," Jeff continued.

Marty looked at Jeff, "No, Jeff, man..."

"I don't understand, Jeff," said Jeannie, letting him go.

"It was...  I saw...  I felt almost as if Clive **were** Marty. Finding the body... everything. It was like with Marty, or what could have been Marty. Oh, I'm not making any sense."

Marty shuddered and looked at Jeff intently, "No, no Jeff, no...  Jeff..."

"You're making perfect sense, Jeff," said Jeannie.

"It was a long time ago," Jeff said, then backed up away from her to lean back against the window sill, then looking at Marty he added, "I don't think I'll ever forget..."

Jeannie realised that Jeff was talking about Marty, and not the body he'd found in the disused warehouse. "And it was a horrible shock, someone no one at that age should have to go through.  Jesus, Jeff, what you must have gone through, and what Marty went through!"

Jeannie moved away and sat at Marty's desk, she turned towards the desk and picked up the photograph she had framed earlier that day. The photograph showed Jeff and Marty at a carnival at night, both were smiling and happy, though she could see shadows in Jeff's eyes, and the hint of something dark in Marty's. "Jeff, listen," Jeannie said quietly, staring at the photograph, "Marty told me everything when we got engaged..."

"I know that, Jeannie, you told me, remember?"

"I know, Jeff, but, you don't realise, it was quite a shock. I always knew he was hiding something from his past... but I never imagined... not in my wildest dreams... Jeff, I had never even **imagined** he'd been through something as awful as all that," Jeannie paused, then turned to look into Jeff's eyes, "Maybe I'm a bit thick, but I just realised, it must have been horrible for you as well."

Jeff sighed, "At the time, me only concerns were for Marty, and protecting him," He looked at Marty, who was stood next to Jeannie, "Getting him out of that house, away from that...  monster. I was so scared for him that... nothing else registered, nothing." Jeff looked at Jeannie and continued, "Nothing was as important as being there for Marty, not just the night he told me, but for months afterwards. Even years later, he still had bad nights, Jeannie," Jeff pulled a hand through his hair, "Nothing was more important to me than being there for him, protecting him.  Jeannie... Marty was me best mate!" Jeff stated, looking at her as if to state that settled everything.

"Jeff, listen, I know you can't answer me with Jeannie here, but listen, Jeff.   **You saved me** , do you understand? I couldn't have coped on me own," Marty moved closer to Jeff, and reached out, stopping just before touching his shoulder, "Oh, Jeff, man, you can't feel so guilty."

Jeannie nodded, "I know, Jeff, I know."

Jeff turned away, from Jeannie and Marty, and looked out the window at the painting on the blank wall, then whispered, "I miss him."

Jeannie got up from the desk chair and walked to his side, then gently touched his arm, "What did you say, Jeff?"

"I said, I miss him, Jeannie, I miss him, terribly."

Marty watched Jeff, pain in his eyes.

"I miss him, too, Jeff," Jeannie answered, putting her arm around his shoulders.

Jeff shook her hand off and turned around, "Sometimes I still talk to him, Jeannie, but I miss... I miss having him here, real contact, you know? I mean..."

"I know, Jeff, I know."

"Jeff, I'm doing the best I can, I wish we could have saved that boy, I wish you hadn't had to go through that. And I can't tell you..." Marty stopped, then sat on his desk, "Jeff, I never thought I'd say this, but could you get rid of Jeannie so we can talk? Maybe I'm... Am I hurting you more by being a ghost, Jeff?"

Jeff nodded briefly at Marty with his eyes, then said to Jeannie, "Look, Jeannie, I need to be by myself for a little while."

"Jeff, you really shouldn't be alone, right now, you're far too upset."

Jeff spun on his heel towards the window and groaned, Marty materialised in front of him and he gave Marty a look, then he set his shoulders and turned back to Jeannie, "I'll be all right, Jeannie, but I need to be on me own for a bit. I need to be alone."

"Jeff..."

Jeff moved towards her and put a hand on her shoulder, "C'mon, please Jeannie, you don't need to worry about me, I'll be fine, just let me be."

"If you're sure... Look, Jeff, I... I don't want to leave you like this, but if you're sure. Listen," she said, putting a hand on his arm, "If you need to talk, if you want someone here, even if you, can't sleep, or anything you need, phone me? All right, Jeff?"

"I will, Jeannie, now just go," Jeff said quietly.

Jeannie nodded, then moved towards the door, when she reached the door to the outer office she stopped, "Jeff...  After last night, are you sure you want to be alone?"

"I'm sure, Jeannie, please, don't worry, I'm okay, I just, I need some time alone, to think, all right?"

Jeannie looked at him intently, then nodded, "Okay, but you'll phone me if you need anything?"

"Yah," Jeff said, aloud, then he whispered, "go Jeannie," then he said, "I'm fine. Just go, let me be, all right?"

Jeannie nodded and left the office.

"I thought she'd never leave.  Jeff, man, Jeff..." said Marty.

"Marty, don't leave me, all right? Please... don't talk about not being a ghost any longer. Because I don't know if I could stand not having you here at all, even as a ghost. Marty, I..." Jeff left off.

Marty sat on the desk in front of Jeff, "Jeff... Jeff... I'm sor..."

"And so help me, if you apologise one more time, Marty..."

Marty looked at him and tears welled up in his eyes, "You meant what you said to Jeannie, you do miss me, don't you, Jeff?"

Jeff nodded, "Yah, I do, Marty."

Marty looked at him, wishing for just one minute that he could hold or touch his mate. "Jeff, listen, the boy's death was not your fault."

Jeff looked at Marty and nodded, "It was... I  should've..."

"Jeff, you did everything you could. Nothing could have prevented Clive Worthington's death; there was nothing you could have done.  As for me...  Jeff you saved me. You **must** realise that! You and your mum and dad gave me the only stable family life I ever knew. Jeff..."

Jeff looked up, "Yah, what is it?"

Marty closed his eyes, "I never told you this, never thought I would, but, I...  that night, that night on the playground, at school. You know what I," Marty took a deep breath, then finished, "I almost killed myself, Jeff."

"Oh, no, Marty, no, you wouldn't have...  I know you, and you wouldn't have gone through with it."

"I almost did...  and if, if it had happened a second time, I would have...  somehow...  so help me, Jeff, I would **not** have survived it. I couldn't have gone through a second rape at the hands of that monster. I've always known that."

Jeff paled, "Marty, no..."

Marty nodded, closing his eyes, "So there's no need for you to feel so guilty, my death wasn't your fault, Jeff. I don't blame you. I never, ever blamed you, Jeff, believe that. You **saved** my life. If it weren't for you, you and your mum, your family..." Marty opened his eyes, and looked at Jeff, "I...  Jeff, man, me mate, I... You saved my life, Jeff, and I...  the way I feel, it's..."

"I know what you're trying to say, Marty, and I feel the same way. You saved my life, too, Marty. You did. You are the other half of my soul, and I..." Jeff paused, "I love you, Marty, as a mate, I mean."

Marty nodded, "I love you, Jeff... and I won't stand by and look at you destroying yourself with guilt over something that couldn't have been helped. By the time Sir Worthington contacted you, Clive was already as good as dead. I'm sorry, Jeff, but it's the truth. You have **nothing** to feel guilty about. It **wasn't** your fault. What you need to do, is, Jeff, is you need to catch the bloke that did it, and stop him from hurting anyone else at that school."

Jeff nodded, "Marty would you really have..." Jeff took a deep breath and finished, "...gone through with it?"

"Oh, I shouldn't have told you. I did **not** tell you that to hurt you, or to scare you with what might have been. But, yes, Jeff, the answer to your question is, and I'm glad it never came to that, believe me, but the answer is, yes. It's part of how I was able to become a ghost. Wyvern... Wyvern was never very forthright on the subject, but I managed to piece together a few things on me own in Limbo."

"Oh, Marty, I **am** sorry."

"NOT your fault, Jeff, not something for you to feel sorry about."

"Still, Marty..."

"Just remember, you **saved me** , Jeff, please remember that."

Jeff nodded again, "We need to find the bloke responsible for Clive's death, don't we Marty?"

"YES, Jeff, what do you think I've been trying to tell you?"

Jeff nodded, his expression set with determination.

Marty nodded, "Go after him, Jeff."

"I will, Marty, I will," Jeff answered, grimly.


	5. Chapter 5

********

Chapter 5

********

**The Next Morning**

 Jeff sat at his desk in the office, his head in his hands. It was a few days after he had found Clive's body and the coroner's report lay in a file on his desk. Jeff sat up straighter, then opened the file, but he had a good idea what it would say.  Jeff scanned the report, but avoided looking at the pictures, he felt sick as he read the document.  As he was reading, the door opened and Jeannie walked in.

"Jeff?" she said, as she entered the office.

Jeff  jumped, and dropped the file.

"Oh, Jeannie, I didn't hear you come in," he stretched and sat back casually in his desk chair.

Jeannie looked at him, then moved over to his desk, sitting on the edge, "Jeff, are you all right?"

"Not really, Jeannie," Jeff answered, softly.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"What is there to talk about, Jeannie? I failed. I failed Sir Worthington, and I failed Clive."

"It wasn't your fault, Jeff, and now it's a matter for the police."

"I **know** that, Jeannie, but... I don't think I can leave it. I need to find out what happened, why it happened," Jeff pushed his chair back towards the corner, and stood. Avoiding Jeannie he walked over to the window behind Marty's desk. "I don't suppose you've looked at the coroner's report, Jeannie?"

"Not yet, Jeff."

"Clive Worthington was...  he was molested, assaulted and murdered. And he was only thirteen years old! How am I supposed to just forget about that? I want to find the people responsible, Jeannie, and I think I need to go back to the school to do that."

Jeannie looked at Jeff, in his earnestness, then said, "Jeff, I understand, I do, but this case has taken a lot out of you, already. I think the police..."

"I don't think you do understand, Jeannie, I don't! You cannot possibly understand."

"Jeff..."

"Jeannie, you can't know, all right? You can try, you can be sympathetic, but you can't know. You have no idea what Marty was like when it happened to him, Jeannie."

"Marty? Jeff...  you keep talking about Marty, since Sir Worthington came into the office, you keep bringing up Marty, and I don't understand why, Jeff."

"Oh, you don't? Jeannie, he did tell you, didn't he? Sometimes, Jeannie..." Jeff stopped, then turned to the window, looking at the painting on the wall.

"Jeff, talk to me, calmly, please," Jeannie insisted, from her position, sitting on the edge of Jeff's desk.

Jeff turned, tears in his eyes, "Jeannie, Marty was...  he was only fourteen, Jeannie, and I was only a few months older than he was. His mother's **boyfriend** ," Jeff spat the word, then started again, "He was sexually abused for months, Jeannie. He was raped.  It was so bad, he thought of killing himself, and..."

"And he told me you saved his life, Jeff."

"I suppose I did. He was me mate, I would have done **anything** for him, Jeannie," tears came to Jeff's eyes, "Clive was only a year younger, and his mate Mark..." Jeff stopped, and swallowed hard. He moved to her, bent slightly, put his hands on her shoulders then said, "I couldn't stop it, Jeannie, I knew, I was sure, that Clive was in the same danger that Marty had been in all those years ago, and I couldn't stop it," Jeff pulled back from her, and straightened up, "I have to solve this, Jeannie, for my sake, for Clive's sake, for Mark's sake, even for Marty's sake, I have to find out who killed Clive and...  And if someone at that school helped him, I need to find out who it was."

Jeannie looked at Jeff, "You think you know, don't you?  You think you know who it was."

"I **think** it was Williams," said Jeff.

Jeannie nodded, "What do we do?"

" **We** don't do anything. **You** will stay here at the office. **I** am going back to that school, I'll talk to Mark, to any of the boys in Williams' class. I'll poke around. Somebody might have seen something. I'll find out why no one believed Mark Daley, when he reported Clive's kidnapping. I'm going to crack this, Jeannie."

"I'll go with you."

"NO! No, Jeannie, stay here. This is a nasty one, it's dangerous, and in your state, I mean, no, Jeannie."

"Jeff, you are probably in more danger than me on this, I'm going."

Jeff put his hands on Jeannie's arms, "No, you're not! I won't have you in that type of danger, Jeannie, I promised Marty I'd look after you if anything ever happened to him, and I will. I know he wouldn't have approved of you working as a detective as it is, and this is too dangerous. Stay here."

"And how would Marty have felt if you got yourself killed, Jeff? Ask yourself that! It is too dangerous to work on cases alone, **especially**  this case, Jeff.  And especially for you. I am going with you, and you can't stop me!"

Jeff sighed, looking at her determined face, then relented, "All right, Jeannie, all right. It's you I was thinking of, though, you and Marty's baby."

"And it's you, I'm thinking of, Jeff, I mean, my god, you've...  you've been, well, erratic, since this started, and..."

Jeff nodded, "I know, Jeannie, I know I have, and I don't understand, myself, why."

Jeannie stepped forward and hugged him, then stepped back, "Maybe you should see someone, Jeff, a professional."

"That's the second time you've mentioned that in the last week, Jeannie."

"I'm worried."

"I know. But I'll be all right, I will. I don't need to have any doctors telling me how to think or feel, Jeannie."

Jeannie sighed, "Let's go over to Clive's school, then, come on, I'll drive."

Jeff nodded and followed her out of the office and to her convertible.

*****

Jeannie parked her convertible in the car park, at Abbotts Field Comprehensive, and Jeff got out of the car and walked quickly towards the school. Jeannie sat in the car, slightly annoyed that Jeff hadn't waited for her then rushed after him. Jeff went into the building, walked up the stairs, and headed for George Williams' classroom. Jeannie caught up to him, outside the classroom.

"Jeff, wait, what are you doing?" said Jeannie.

Jeff ignored her, and slammed open the door to the classroom. Williams was standing near a male student, by an easel near the windows.

"That does it," said Jeff, under his breath. He rushed at Williams, grabbing him by the front of his shirt, and slamming him into the classroom wall. The student nearby, rushed off to the corner of the room. Jeff shoved Williams into the wall and shouted, "What did you think you were doing? What did you think? Did Clive Worthington have to die so we wouldn't find out about your little scheme?"

"Let go of me! Who do you think you are? What are you talking about?"

"I know you knew about it, Professor! I know you were behind it, so talk. Tell me who your partners are, and I might not push you through your classroom windows."

"What? You're mad! Let me go at once!"

Jeannie had recovered from staring at Jeff, and walked to his side, she put a hand on his arm and said, "Jeff, let him go."

Jeff looked at her, "I want him to talk!"

Williams glared at Jeff, "Let me go, now, and I might not press assault charges!"

Jeff pushed Williams into the wall one last time, then let go, "Tell me! Tell me about Clive! And how many others, Williams? Hum! Tell me!"

"For the last time, I don't know what you are talking about! And I intend on asking the Headmaster to boot you out of here!"

"You don't, eh?"

Williams glared at Jeff, "Get out! Get out or I will press charges!"

Jeff shook himself, spun on his heel and walked out.

Jeannie stared at Jeff as he left, then glared at Williams, before saying quietly, "I'm sorry, he's not normally like this," then she walked out of the room.

Jeff was leaning against the hallway wall opposite the classroom. Jeannie could tell he was shaking.

Jeannie walked over to him, stood in front of him, and said, "What the hell was that about?"

"Shaking things up, Jeannie, shaking things up. I don't have any evidence at all, Jeannie. And I'm not going to wait for the police to look for forensic  evidence. I suspect Williams is involved. Now he knows that. Hopefully, he'll react and we can nail him! And whoever else is involved!"

Jeannie looked at Jeff, "THAT was your plan?"

Jeff nodded, "Part of it. Come on, now for part two," Jeff lead the way to the Headmaster's office.

Jeannie followed, not sure what would happen.

Jeff entered the business office, smiled at the secretary, and said, very politely, "Hello, I'd, we'd like to speak to the headmaster, please."

The secretary nodded, "You don't have an appointment?"

"No, but...  He knows we've been looking into a few things, we would like to speak to him if we may?" Jeff smiled again.

"All right, I'll just tell him you're here. Please wait, it should only be a few minutes."

Jeff nodded, and smiled at the secretary one last time.

After the secretary had entered the head's office, Jeannie looked at Jeff.  Jeff had exhaled and dropped the smile and innocent manner, "What was that, Jeff?"

"Marty was always better at that than me, Jeannie. That was 'smooze the secretary'.  I wasn't sure it would work, he was always the best at it. But I think I managed it."

Jeannie looked at him, "You know, I think you are better at this detective stuff than you ever let on, Jeff."

Jeff nodded, "Well, I have **some** experience, Jeannie."

A few minutes later the secretary returned. Jeff smiled at the secretary. Then she led Jeff and Jeannie to the Headmaster's office.

"Mr. Randall?" said Headmaster Farnham.

"Hello, there," said Jeff.

"Do you have any information for me, Mr. Randall?"

Jeff nodded and resumed a business-like demeanor, "Yes, I do. You know that I was the one that found Clive Worthington?"

"Yes, terrible business, I've talked with the parents."

"I'd like to know why, when you knew he was missing, you ignored a student that told you Clive had been bundled off in a large, black, 4-door car, with a sunroof."

The Headmaster looked startled, "What?"

"One of the students told me that he witnessed Clive being bundled off in a car. He said no one believed him when he reported it."

"Which student?" asked the Headmaster.

"I'm not sure I should say. I think you need to tell me why he was ignored."

"Mister Randall! No student ever came in here and told me he saw Clive bundled off, in a black car or otherwise. We most certainly would have taken such an account seriously! Who told you this?"

Jeff didn't answer.

"Are you making this up? Trying to get a rise out of me?"

"No, no I'm not. I'm protecting a witness. Until I know more, I'm not entirely sure who I can trust here at Abbotts Field Comprehensive."

"That's it! I've given you as much time and access to my school as I am going to! You can leave!"

Jeff nodded, "There was a witness, Headmaster."

"Leave!"

Jeff nodded again, "All right, we'll go. Come on, Jeannie."

They left the Headmaster's office and walked out of the school office into the hallway. Jeff stopped and turned to Jeannie, "That didn't go as well as I planned."

Jeannie glared at him, and raised an eyebrow.

There was a clatter in the hall as a group of boys approached them, Mark Daley was at the front of the group.

"Mr. Randall?" asked Mark, shakily.

"Yes, what's wrong, Mark?" asked Jeff, softly.

"We... we heard about what you did to Professor Williams. Um, we were wondering if  you'd talk to us."

"Sure, sure, Mark, does it have to do with Clive?"

"Yes, but not here. Can you meet us at the teashop over on High Street? At lunchtime?"

"Sure, sure I can do that. All of you?"

The boys all nodded, then looked over their shoulders.

"And it can wait until lunch?"

Again, all the boys nodded.

"I'll see you then, then!" said Jeff.

The boys all turned away and walked off in different directions.

Jeff turned to Jeannie and smiled, "See, Jeannie? Something did shake out!"

Jeannie looked at Jeff and smiled back, "So now what?"

Jeff  looked down at the floor, then looked up at her, "Jeannie, I think I should speak to those boys alone at the teashop."

"What?" said Jeannie.

"I talked to Mark yesterday, he trusts me, I think he might be more open if I meet him alone."

"Jeff, we're partners! I can handle myself just fine, stop trying to protect me!"

"It not that, but... I need to get those boys to talk, to tell me everything they can, and... I think it would be better if I spoke to them, alone."

"I was standing right here when they asked to meet us!"

"To meet me."

Jeannie looked at him, "Do you really think they'll be more open with you? Alone?"

Jeff nodded his head vigorously, "I do, Jeannie, I really do, for once I'm not being over-protective. I honestly think I'll get more information if I talk to them alone."

"On one condition, Jeff."

"What's that?"

"You do not follow up on any leads by yourself. Anything you find out, **anything** those boys tell you, you tell me. I will not have you rushing off and getting hurt or killed, Jeff.  I won't!"

"I promise."

"I mean it, Jeff, no heroics, no following up on your own, alone, or I swear I'll just go with you and if I make those boys uncomfortable, so be it."

Jeff nodded, "I swear it, Jeannie, I won't go after any leads alone. Thanks, Jeannie!"

Jeannie nodded, "All right, Jeff, I suppose I can trust your promise.  So what now?"

"I'll take you back to the office," Jeff caught her glare, and quickly added, "We'll pick up my car and you can follow me over to the teashop. It will take a little time, driving to London and back, and that way we'll have both cars available if we need them. You can even wait outside the teashop while I talk to the boys, all right, Jeannie?"

Jeannie nodded, "All right, Jeff."

*****

Jeff opened the door of a small teashop, and saw a group of five boys in Abbotts Field Comprehensive school uniforms, gathered around a table, he went over to them.

"Hello, boys, I'm Jeff Randall," Jeff introduced himself, then sat at the table with the boys. Once he was sat down, Marty appeared. As the boys introduced themselves, Marty paced next to each one, stopping behind the one who spoke.

One by one each of the boys nodded at Jeff and told him his name.

"We saw you when you came into Professor Williams' room, sir," said Malcolm, who sat at the table next to Mark.

"That was brilliant! No one has ever done anything like that to Professor Williams!" said David, who was dark-haired, and stocky and sat besides Malcolm to the right.

"So you REALLY want to find out what happened to Clive? And why? You're not working for the school?" Asked Brett, a tall blond, who sat next to David.

"I'm not working for the school," Jeff said, "Clive's father hired me, but I'm really working **for** Clive Worthington. If you boys know something about what happened or who might have wanted to hurt him, please tell me," Jeff looked at the group of boys, "You won't get into any trouble if you help me and tell me the truth."

Brett and David whispered to each other and then to Mark.

Then Mark Daley spoke up, "I know, I know, sir, but I'm scared, I...  we don't want to get in trouble. Clive had more than enough trouble as it is, and..." the boy broke off, his voice wavering.

Jeff took a deep breath, "Listen, you aren't in any trouble. I'm here to find out what happened to Clive, honestly, boys, you can tell me anything. Does it have to do with Professor Williams? Did he threaten Clive or try to hurt him?"

A couple of the boys nodded.

Marty looked from Jeff as he asked the question to the boys as they nodded, and shuddered.

"Tell me everything, please."

Mark spoke up, "Prof...  Professor Williams...  he...  he likes games, sir."

"What sort of games, Mark?"

Marty walked behind Mark, and stood behind him, protectively, saying, "Jeff..."

"He brings boys to his flat... to, um, I remember from last year, and... Clive didn't want to play. He hated being in Professor's class, so I told him we could skip, but when we took off...  he was..."

"I know, Mark, I know. He was taken in a car. And whoever took him..." Jeff stopped, then said softly, "Boys, they've told you haven't they? You know what happened?"

All the boys nodded, then Todd, said quietly, "Clive was killed."

"That's right. And I want to find the person responsible, now," Jeff took a deep breath, then asked, "What sort of games does Professor Williams play boys? Does he hurt you?"

Again a Mark, Brett and David nodded.

Marty disappeared and appeared next to Jeff, supporting him quietly.

Jeff glanced quickly at Marty, then looked down, before looking up at the five boys in front of him. "Does he touch you?" he asked quietly, as his stomach turned to ice.

Again a few boys nodded, and Mark said, "He'd...  he'd get me undressed, force me down and hurt me, touch me. I thought I was the only one he did it to, but then he did the same thing to Clive. And then Clive and I found out that he had done the same thing to several  boys in his classes," Mark began to cry. The other boys nodded.

Tears came to Marty's eyes as he looked at the five teen-aged boys, "No, my god Jeff, no...  you need to stop this Jeff, please."

Jeff gave a brief, tiny nod to Marty.

"All of you?" Jeff asked, feeling sick.

All the boys nodded, silently.

Brett, said, "He'd get us to his flat for _extra_ projects. He threatened us, Mr. Randall, he said no one would believe a group of trouble-making boys over a teacher. Clive..." the boy's voice trembled but he continued on, "Clive said he was gonna see to it that Professor Williams never hurt any of us again. We thought he was going to tell his father."

"When did Clive say that?" asked Jeff.

"On Monday, in the morning," Brett answered.

Mark nodded. "He told me the same thing when I talked to him, when he asked me to skip with him."

Jeff  looked at the boys, then said, "Okay, Mark, I need to know exactly what happened on Monday, all right? Exactly!"

Marty again moved behind Mark, protectively.

"But I told you. The other day, I told you what happened."

"I know, but tell me again."

"I met Clive after his history class, and we...  we walked out of the school. We left the building."

"Where did you go?"

"We walked off towards High Street. Clive was talking about getting even with Professor Williams, about hurting him. I thought he was just talking."

Jeff nodded.

"We were on the street and a car came by, a big one, and...  and a man jumped out and he...  he grabbed Clive, and then the car took off."

Jeff looked at him, "Like you told me the other day, okay, now Mark, this is important, very important, and you will not get in any trouble if you tell me the truth, right now. Did you tell anyone, Mark? Did you tell anyone on Monday what you saw when Clive was taken in that car?"

Mark looked down, then said, "No. I lied to you the other day. I didn't tell anyone. I was scared. Professor Williams had something to do with it, I know he did. I didn't know who to trust here at school."

Jeff nodded, "And your parents, Mark? Did you tell them about the car? Or about Professor Williams?"

Mark's face went white, "N... no...  I..."

"Shush, Mark, it's okay, I understand, it's all right, I do."

Mark looked at Jeff in amazement, "You understand?"

"Um-hum," Jeff closed his eyes, as painful memories flooded into his thoughts, and nodded, then opened his eyes, "Mark..." he glanced briefly at Marty, then said, "I know you were afraid to talk to anyone, Williams threatened you, he controlled you, so he could hurt you, isn't that right?"

Mark nodded, "Uh-huh.  He said... he said no one would believe me, and I'd... **we'd** , all of us, would get it worse if we ever said anything."

"Mark, no. Listen, it's okay, you're talking to me, now, and that's absolutely the right thing for you to be doing, it's..." Jeff stopped, choking up, then continued, "Telling me as much as you can, Mark..." he looked at each of the boys in turn, "all of you, is the best way to help Clive, and yourselves, OK?"

There were nods all 'round the table from the boys.

Jeff nodded, "Now, Mark, all of you, I need to know where that flat is. Where did Williams take you for his **games**?" Jeff spit the word in disgust.

Marty disappeared and appeared behind Jeff, "Jeff, be careful. I want you to stop Williams, but please. Be careful!"

David spoke up, giving Jeff an address.

Jeff looked at the boys, "Is there anything else you can tell me? Anything at all?"

The boys looked at one another, then the Brett said, "Sir, what do we do now? Professor Williams said if any of us ever talked, he'd kill us. All of us. And now Clive is... he's..."

Jeff nodded, "I know. But I swear that won't happen to the rest of you. I swear it. I will see to it personally. What he did was...  it's wrong, boys, do you understand me?"

Marty looked at Jeff, and then at the boys, then he shuddered and tears came to his eyes, his voice shaking he said, "Jeff, you'll put a stop to this? You'll find him and stop him?"

Jeff glanced briefly at Marty, and continued to the boys, "It was wrong, he shouldn't have done it."

Several boys nodded. Marty looked at Jeff and the boys, then disappeared.

Mark asked, "What... what do we do? I don't think I want to go back to school."

"No, no, Mark, all of you, you are going to go with me to the police. They can protect you. And Williams will be arrested. I promise. What he did to you boys was horrible," Jeff shuddered, "And it wasn't right, not at all. Come on, come with me, I think we should go to the station, right now."

Jeff lead the group of five teenaged boys out of the teashop.

*****

Outside the shop, Jeannie waved from her convertible.  Jeff  looked at her, and brought the boys to the car. "Boys, this is Jeannie Hurst."

Jeannie stepped out of the convertible, and looked at Jeff, and then at the five boys.

The boys looked at Jeff suspiciously, "Jeannie, this is Mark, Todd, Malcolm, Brett and David. You need to take them to the police station, Jeannie. Get them protective custody, at least temporarily."

"What? Jeff, what are you talking about?"

"Listen, Jeannie, I was right, about everything. I'll explain later, but these boys need to be protected. They gave me an address..."

"Oh, no, Jeff! You promised! I'm not playing driver while you risk your life!"

"Jeannie, listen. Williams hurt all these boys. ALL of them, Jeannie, and Clive. If I'm lucky, he and his partner will still be at the flat the boys talked about. But they need protection. Take all five of them to the police."

Jeannie looked at the boys and swallowed, hard, remembering how Marty had been, his voice and behaviour the night he'd told her what he'd suffered. Jeannie took another deep breath, "Okay, Jeff, but I'm sending the police to the same address."

Jeff nodded, "Boys, Jeannie, is my partner. She'll take care of you. She'll make sure you're all right, all of you, you'll be safe with her."

There were nods all around.

"Jeannie, take my car, and give me your keys."

Jeannie looked at Jeff, then at the boys, and nodded, "All right, Jeff."

Jeff walked over to his tan Mercedes and opened the passenger side door, "Get in, three in back and two in front."

The boys piled into the car, and shut the door, then Jeff gave Jeannie his keys. "Go, Jeannie, take them to the police station."

Jeannie handed Jeff her keys, then impulsively kissed his cheek, "Take care of yourself, Jeff." She opened the driver's side door of the Mercedes and got in.

Jeff smiled, nodding in acknowledgement, and then he shut the car door.

Jeannie looked at the tight fit, then said, "Well, at least it isn't far," she rolled down the window and shouted to Jeff, "Be careful, for god's sake, Jeff.  Please."

"I will, Jeannie, I will. Take care, Jeannie, bye."

"Bye, Jeff."

Jeff nodded and watched the filled car pull into traffic, then he got into Jeannie's convertible, and drove towards the flat.

Marty appeared next to him in the car.

Jeff jumped, "Hi, Marty, you all right?"

"Yeah, Jeff, listening to those boys...  I mean, **five** of them, six including Clive..."

"I know, Marty, I know...  it brings up, memories, doesn't it?"

Marty nodded, "Jeff...  How about you, Jeff, are **you** all right?"

"I will be when I catch him, when I stop him," said Jeff, his voice set with determination.

"Jeff... What are you doing? Where are you going?" Marty asked, fearfully.

"Williams' flat. My god, Marty. Williams had... he hurt all of those boys. And Clive.  And who knows how many others? But the boys were all hurt at Williams' flat. I have the address. **That** is where I'm going!"

"Be careful, Jeff!"

"I will, you'll be there with me?"

"Of course, Jeff, of course I will."


	6. Chapter 6

********

**Chapter  6**

********

Jeff stood in the hallway outside Williams flat. Marty stood next to Jeff. Marty looked at Jeff then at the door and said, "Jeff, wait a minute."

"What?" asked Jeff.

Marty looked at him, "Jeff, wait, maybe I should pop in there first and make sure..."

Jeff looked at him, "Marty? Are you sure? You don't know what he's doing in there."

Marty nodded, then said, determined, "Jeff, I'll go in there, first, and look around, all right?"

"All right, Marty."

Marty disappeared. A few minutes later he re-appeared, shaky, a terrified expression in his eyes, "You can't go in there, Jeff," he said.

"What? Why? What's in there, Marty? Is he hurting someone, now, another boy?"

Marty shook his head, "No, but you can't go in there. Jeff, you can't, I won't let **him** hurt you!"

"Who? Is Williams in there?" Jeff looked at Marty's terrified face, "Marty, What's wrong?"

Marty had slid onto the floor, and was still shaking. Jeff  knelt next to Marty, putting a hand on his arm out of instinct. His hand passed right through Marty and Jeff pulled back. "Talk to me, Marty, what is so terrifying about that flat?"

"The... the man in there..." Marty stopped, hiding his face in his hands, and began to shake harder.

"Marty, you're scaring me, just  talk, why don't you want me going in there?"

Marty looked up at Jeff, his eyes filled with fear and sorrow, "Jeff, the man in there, he's...  he's The Monster. That's him, the one who...  He did it to me, Jeff, **him**!"

"What? What is he doing here?" Jeff asked in shock.

"I don't know, Jeff, I don't know, but that's him, I swear it!"

"Are... are you sure, Marty?" Jeff asked again, not completely comprehending what Marty had said.

Marty nodded, his voice like a child's, "Uh-huh. Jeff, I had nightmares about that face for over twenty years... it's him, Jeff, it is. It's, it's him," Marty's voice shook on the last phrase.

Jeff looked at Marty and nodded, then said, "I'll get him, Marty. He deserves to be punished for what he did to you, and to Clive." Jeff stood, his face determined, and started walking towards the door to the flat.

"NO! Jeff, no, don't.  If you go in there, he'll hurt you!  Jeff, please, just get out of here! Come on, let's go!" Marty was on his feet, ready to run down the hall away from the flat.

Jeff turned to Marty, "Marty, listen. He won't be able to hurt me, all right? I can handle him, and I'll hurt **him** for what he did to you! God, Marty, he never...  he did a runner, there was nothing I could do, nothing my parents could do, we couldn't see that he was punished. Now he will be."

Marty looked at Jeff, then slowly nodded, "I'm coming with you," then he appeared directly in front of the flat door. Jeff nodded at him, then kicked open the door.

Jeff rushed into the flat, through the broken door, the first room, a living area, was empty, Jeff cautiously entered the room and moved towards a hallway at the other end of the room. Jeff crept down the hall, cautiously pushing open doors as he went, the first door was an empty bathroom, but the second door was the bedroom. When Jeff pushed open the door, he saw that a man was in the room, lying on the bed. The man was half asleep, he had salt and pepper hair, a round, pudgy face, and beady black eyes.

Jeff rushed towards the man on the bed, "You bastard!" he screamed. The man woke up.

The man pushed himself up on the bed, and yelled "Who are you?"

Jeff reached the bed, grabbed the man by his shirtfront, and threw him back down on the bed, slapping him hard. "You absolute bastard! You get your kicks destroying young boys, don't you? How could you?" Jeff grabbed him again, throwing him off the bed, into a wall. Marty cowered at the entrance to the bedroom, watching Jeff, terrified by his mate's angry outburst of violence.

The man hit the wall, and slid onto the floor, dazed, "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm the best mate of a boy you hurt twenty-four years ago! I'm also a detective who's investigating the disappearance and murder of Clive Worthington! And, I talked to Mark Daley and other boys at the school, I know all about Williams, and all about you, Ed. So give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you now!"

"What boy?" sneered Ed.

"Does the name Marty Hopkirk mean anything to you?" Jeff yelled, his face red with anger, as he grabbed Ed 's shirtfront and shook him.

"Marty Hopkirk?" said Ed, "Now, there's a name from a while ago. I never forgot him though. My little Marty."

Marty shuddered where he stood, hiding his eyes with his hands.

" **Your** little Marty?  You didn't own him, Ed," Jeff spat out the name viciously, "You had no right to hurt him like that!"

"He... he wanted it, his tight little arse was asking for it. He was sweet!" Ed paused, then said, "I enjoyed taking him."

Marty glared at Ed, then disappeared from the doorway and reappeared next to Jeff, "Jeff! Get him, please! Hurt him, Jeff, for me, hurt him!"

"Bastard!" Jeff yelled, then he hit Ed with his fist again, sending him back into the wall.

The man looked at Jeff, scrambled up and ran from the bedroom.  Jeff ran after him, cornering him again in the kitchen.

"Get out of here!" Ed screamed at Jeff, when Jeff entered the kitchen.

Jeff rushed the man again, but the man reached behind him, pulling out a kitchen knife, he slashed at Jeff.

"Jeff, look out!" yelled Marty.

Jeff looked over towards Marty, then screamed as the knife hit his right arm. Bleeding, Jeff turned, pushing the man into the kitchen counter, forcing him to drop the knife. Jeff  hit him again, with his left hand, saying, "That's for Marty!" The man went down on the kitchen floor, next to the knife. Jeff backed up, looking at the man on the floor, apparently unconscious.

Jeff backed up further, then dropped to the floor, holding his bleeding arm with his other hand.

"Jeff!" yelled Marty, looking at his mate sitting there bleeding, "Are you all right?"

Jeff nodded, "I think so, Marty, I... I need a doctor though. But I don't think it's serious. We got him, Marty, we got him." Jeff's voice became weaker as he talked, and he slid down on the floor, eventually losing consciousness.

Marty looked on, seeing Jeff collapse. "Jeff!" Marty paced between the two unconscious bodies for a second, then nodded, and possessed Ed. Taking Ed's body, he picked up the phone and called 999 anonymously asking for police and an ambulance, then he picked up the kitchen knife and took the body into the bedroom. Marty lay down on the bed. _I'll get you for what you did to me, I'll get you_. Marty pulled off the man's shirt, then took the kitchen knife, and with the man's hand wrapped around the handle, Marty prepared to thrust the knife into the man's heart. _You deserve this! You deserve this and more_ , he thought.

Suddenly he heard Wyvern's voice, _You can't do that, Marty!_

"Watch me!" shouted Marty, angrily, letting go of the possession.

Standing next to the man on the bed, Marty concentrated hard on the knife that lay on the man's chest, pushing with all his might, Marty changed the position of the knife until it was vertical instead of horizontal. Concentrating hard, he pushed the knife into the man's chest, stabbing him in the heart, pulled it out again, and pushed it in a second time.

Exhausted, Marty disappeared, returning to Limbo and Wyvern for a second, before reappearing next to Jeff in the kitchen.

Jeff lay, still unconscious, on the floor of the kitchen. Marty sat next to him, quietly, waiting for the police to arrive.

A few minutes later, there were a bunch of shouts from the hall. Hearing the noise, Marty waited until the police and Jeannie entered the flat, through the broken door, then he disappeared, returning to Limbo to recharge fully.

Two uniformed police officers, DS Charles Cooper, and Jeannie all burst into the flat. Jeannie ran to Jeff, and knelt next to him, "Oh, no, no!" she said, as she reached towards his body to feel for a pulse.

Cooper stood next to Jeannie, while the others began to search the flat. "Do you know him?" asked the officer.

"He's my partner, Jeff Randall," Jeannie pressed her hand into Jeff's neck, "He's still alive, we need to get him to hospital!"

He nodded, calling for an ambulance on his walkie talkie.

Meanwhile there was a shout from the bedroom, "We have a body over here!"

DS Cooper left the kitchen and went to the bedroom where the shout came from.

Jeannie, kneeling next to Jeff, in the kitchen, held his hand, touching his face with her other hand, "Jeff, come on, wake up. Jeff!" then she said quietly, "Why couldn't you have been more careful, Jeff?"

With a groan, Jeff woke up, "What happened?"

"Jeff?" asked Jeannie.

"Help is on the way, sir," said a uniformed police officer, returning from the bedroom.

Jeannie scrambled closer to Jeff, carefully pulling him into her arms, "Jeff, I told you to be careful."

"We got him, Jeannie, me and Marty! We got the monster, Jeannie.  Marty and I..." Jeff calmed down, and settled quietly in Jeannie's arms.

Jeannie looked at Jeff, then at the police officer who was looking at him strangely, "Jeff, you're delirious. But you'll be all right, you'll be fine, Jeff."

An ambulance crew arrived at the flat and was directed to the kitchen by the police.

"What happened here?" said the EMT, moving towards Jeff and Jeannie, "Ma'am, let go, lay him back down so we can work."

Jeannie nodded, cautiously laying Jeff down.  Jeff smiled at her, "I'll be all right, Jeannie." Jeannie backed off, sliding down onto the floor nearby herself.

The paramedic began examining Jeff, wrapping his arm in gauze to control the bleeding. The EMT and paramedic talked quietly to Jeff, asking him questions, taking vitals, and treating him.

Meanwhile, the detective-sergeant, Cooper, returned from the bedroom, and asked Jeannie, "You all right, Miss?"

Jeannie nodded, and stood, "I'm fine," then she looked at him, "Who are you?"

"DS Charles Cooper, ma'am," he said, properly, "I'm in charge of the crime scene," he said, and smiled at her, softly.

Jeannie smiled back, tightly. Cooper had sandy brown hair, hazel eyes, and broad shoulders. He worn a navy blue suit, with a light blue shirt and grey tie.

"What do you know about what happened?" He asked, flipping open his notebook.

Jeannie took a deep breath and then answered, "We... we're private detectives, we were hired to find Clive Worthington, who went missing on Monday. He...  Jeff  found him in a warehouse, um... when he found him..."

Cooper nodded, "We know about that, miss, What brought your partner to this flat?"

"Jeff decided to keep investigating, so he... he talked to some boys at the school, and..." Jeannie broke off, crying.

Cooper said, "Take your time, miss, I know this is distressing."

"We need to stablise him, then take him to hospital," said the paramedic.

"I need to go with Jeff," said Jeannie.

"Just a few more questions," he said, "What brought your partner to this flat?"

"The boys... the boys at the school gave this address. Jeff told me all those five boys had been hurt, you know, the ones I brought to the station? They'd all been hurt, at this address. I don't know anything else."

He nodded, "Do you know who the other man is?"

"What other man? Jeff and I were suspicious of..."

He interrupted her, "Would you be able to identify the body?"

Jeannie paled, then looked at Jeff. An EMT was inserting an IV into his hand, Jeff nodded at Jeannie, "I'll be all right, Jeannie, go ahead, do whatever the police want, OK?"

Jeannie nodded at him, "If you're all right, Jeff?" then she spoke to the EMT, "He is all right, isn't he?"

The EMT nodded, "He seems to be. Once he's stable we'll take him in to hospital to be checked over."

Cooper nodded from Jeff and the EMT to Jeannie, "It shouldn't take long, and we can finish later, at the station. But come with me, now."

Jeannie nodded and followed him to the bedroom of the flat. Outside the door, he paused, "Have you done this before?"

"Done what? Seen a body? Um, funerals, and...  Jeff and I **are** private detectives, but we normally don't..."

"I see, well, try not to touch anything in the room. The forensics team will have started, so anything that's taped off, stay away from, okay? Go straight over to the bed, mind the other officers, and again, **please** don't touch anything, at'all."

Jeannie nodded. He led her into the room, she walked, gingerly to the bed and stood still.

"Miss, do you know this man?"

Jeannie looked at the body covered in blood and then said, "N... No. I don't. I don't understand, we, Jeff and I, suspected someone, but this isn't him. I've never seen this man, at'all."

"Come with me, then," he said and led her from the room. Once outside DS Cooper said, "You don't know him?"

"No, no I don't. I don't understand, Jeff said..."

"He said, what, miss?"

Jeannie took a deep breath, "The...  those boys, the ones I left at the station, they...  Jeff told me they were being hurt, abused, by a teacher at the school. We thought **he** was behind what happened to Clive. But that wasn't him, and I've never seen him before."

"Could your partner have killed him?"

Jeannie glared at him, "NO! Jeff wouldn't! And he was hurt, he's bleeding, he should be in hospital! Maybe, in self defense, maybe he could have hurt someone, if he had to, but that..." Jeannie nodded at the door, "I need to go with Jeff to hospital."

"All right, all right. Do you know anything at all about the dead man?"

Jeannie shook her head, "No, I don't! I said, already. But I'll tell you this. He must have something to do with Clive Worthington's kidnapping and murder."

DS Cooper nodded, "All right, you can leave with the EMTs now, but we will probably have more questions later."

Jeannie nodded, following the EMTs, and Jeff who was strapped to a trolley. The EMTs moved Jeff out of the flat and down the hall, and Jeannie followed. The four left the block of flats, and went outside to the ambulance.

As Jeff was loaded into the ambulance, Jeannie said, "May I come with you?"

The EMT nodded, "Yes, miss."

Jeannie nodded, then got in the ambulance. Jeff was loaded in as well, with an EMT, and then the ambulance pulled out into traffic and rushed to the hospital. 

*****

The ambulance quickly reached the A & E department of Central London Hospital, and an unconscious Jeff was unloaded and taken in to the treatment area. The EMT took Jeannie to the side, "Miss, you'll need to wait in the designated area, not in the treatment area," he pointed to some plastic chairs against a wall.

"What's wrong?" Jeannie asked, her hand on the EMT's arm. "Why has he lost consciousness again?"

"I don't know, miss, it didn't seem like a very severe wound, but he shouldn't have lost consciousness, so the doctors will need to do tests."

"But he'll be all right, won't he?" Jeannie looked towards where Jeff had been taken for treatment, then at the EMT, "He has to be all right!"

"They'll do everything they can. Now, please, go and sit down, someone will speak to you soon, all right?"

Jeannie nodded, "Thank you."

The EMT nodded back, then joined his paramedic partner, and returned to his ambulance.

*****

Jeff lay on a table, a saline/dextrose IV inserted in his hand, in the A & E treatment area, surrounded by doctors and nurses, who shouted orders back and forth. With a groan he woke up, "What happened?"

"Do you know your name, sir?"

"Jeff, Jeffrey Randall. What happened?"

A nurse smiled at him then asked, "What do you remember?"

Images assaulted his brain, "Marty... I mean..." then he stopped talking.

Another nurse started an IV of a unit of blood.

Marty appeared in the treatment area, "Jeff, listen, you can't mention me. Not now, Jeff. It's important."

Jeff nodded, then he said, "I...I was investigating Clive Worthington's murder. His mates at school, they... they were..." Jeff stopped.

"Sir, what do you remember about being hurt?"

"I went into the flat, and that man, he attacked me."

Marty nodded at Jeff, "Good, Jeff, that's good, don't say anything else."

"Sir, you collapsed. Do you remember anything about that?"

Jeff thought a moment, "He... he stabbed me, well, slashed me. I hit him, and I saw him unconscious on the kitchen floor. Then everything went black."

The nurse nodded, "Have you been taking care of yourself?"

"What do you mean?"

"Eating well, sleeping enough, like that?"

Jeff shook his head, "I've been working a very difficult, intense case. I suppose not, not really."

The nurse nodded again.

Marty looked intently at Jeff, "Listen, Jeff, you'll be all right, but just do **not** mention me. Please."

Jeff flicked his eyes at Marty, acknowledging him, then asked the nurse, "Jeannie, have you called Jeannie? She should know, I'm in hospital."

The nurse spoke to another nurse a moment, then said to Jeff, "Who's Jeannie?"

"My partner," Jeff paused, then said, "She's blonde, good looking, tall... um..."

"She's outside, Mr. Randall, you can see her in a bit.

Jeff nodded, then tried to relax through the rest of his treatment.

*****

Jeannie sat in a white, plastic chair, outside the A & E treatment area, waiting, and wringing her hands. _Oh Jeff, be all right, please be all right. I don't want to be alone._

A brunette, female doctor approached Jeannie, and she stood. "Is Jeff all right?" she asked.

"I'm Doctor Virginia Grant, Are you Jeannie?" the doctor asked.

"Yes, Jeannie Hurst. Is Jeff all right?"

The doctor nodded, "He's asking for you, Miss Hurst. He'll be fine. He needed stitches in his right arm, and we've given him a unit of whole blood as well as a normal saline/dextrose IV."

Jeannie nodded.

"Mr. Randall seems to be suffering from exhaustion, as well as the knife wound.  He's dehydrated and his blood sugar was very low."

Jeannie nodded, "He's been working very hard. We both have, but... this case was personal for him, and it took a lot out of him, I tried to get him to slow down a bit, but..."

The doctor nodded, "It's not your fault. What do you mean, it was personal for him?"

Jeannie looked away, and at that moment, Marty appeared, "Jeannie, don't...  please, I know you can't hear me, but if you care at all for Jeff, please, please don't say anything."

Jeannie shook herself, then said, "No, I'm sorry, I just meant that we, we'd never worked on a case like this before, that's all. And..." Jeannie took a deep breath, "He and Marty hadn't worked on a case like this either, not that I know of, anyway."

"And Marty is?"

"Oh, he's...  he **was** my fiancé, he and Jeff were partners, partners in the business, until...  Marty died." Jeannie said the last words quietly, then she added, "Do you really need to know?"

The doctor shook her head, "Not really. So, Mr. Randall was working hard? Not eating regularly? Not getting enough sleep?"

Jeannie nodded, "Why? I mean, why do you ask?"

"It explains the exhaustion. We think that the only reason he collapsed was exhaustion, miss. The wound wasn't severe enough to cause him to lose consciousness. And I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't confirm that nothing else could have caused his collapse."

Jeannie nodded, "Can I see him?"

The doctor nodded, "He's being moved to a side room off  the ward. Once he's settled in, you can see him."

"Thank you," Jeannie nodded.

"You're welcome," said the doctor, "Now, I have other patients, please excuse me," then she turned and walked off.

Jeannie nodded at the doctor's back, then sat. 

***** 

A few minutes later,  Jeannie followed a nurse to Jeff's bedside.  Jeff seemed to be asleep, so Jeannie sat quietly next to him.

Jeff turned in his sleep, then woke up, "Jeannie?"

Jeannie nodded, "Hi there, Jeff, how are you feeling?"

Jeff sat up in bed, pulling up his blanket as he did so, "Better, Jeannie, it doesn't even hurt."

Jeannie nodded, "It will itch later, though.  Jeff, What happened?"

Jeff took a deep breath.

"Come on, Jeff, Who was that other man in the flat?"

Jeff looked at her, but didn't answer.

"He's dead, Jeff, whoever he is.  I... they wanted me to identify the body, but it wasn't Williams, who was it?"

Jeff took another deep breath, "That man, Jeannie, that man was... he was Marty's rapist."

"What?!" Jeannie shouted in shock.

Jeff took another deep breath, then said, "His name was Ed, and he... he was Marty's mother's boyfriend. I... I don't even remember his surname, Jeannie, I only met him once. Most of what I know about him came from things Marty said."

"Then how did you recognise him?" Jeannie asked.

Jeff closed his eyes, and wasn't even surprised when he opened them and Marty was sitting at his bedside across from Jeannie, "I... I don't know, Jeannie, but I did. Somehow when I saw him, I just knew who he was. I asked him about Marty and he admitted what he did. Then I hit him."

Jeannie nodded, "Jeff, I... I don't like asking this. And I swear it, Jeff, I swear I won't tell the police, because I **know** what that man did to Marty, but... Did you kill him, Jeff?"

"No. Well, I don't think so. After he slashed me with a kitchen knife, I hit him, again, knocked him out. But I think he was still alive."

"Where?"

"Where what?"

"Where did you hit him?"

Jeff looked at her strangely, "In the face, Where do you think I hit him?"

"No, I mean, in the flat. What room? It's important, Jeff, honestly."

"The kitchen. Jeannie, What's going on?"

Jeannie let out the breath she'd been holding. "And you never stabbed him with a knife?"

"No. Jeannie, What are you on about?"

"Look, Jeff, the other man in the flat was dead when I got there. You were unconscious and bleeding, and the other man was dead. The police wanted me to identify him..."

Jeff interrupted her, "I remember that, somewhat."

"The body was in the bedroom. He'd been stabbed, twice, in the chest. I didn't think it was... I mean, I didn't think you'd... But then, if he was the one that hurt Marty..." Jeannie began to cry.

Jeff nodded again, then looked sharply at Marty. Marty avoided his eyes, and began to pace next to Jeff's hospital bed.

"Who was he? I mean, how was he connected to Clive Worthington and the boys at the school?"

Jeff looked at Marty, mentally wishing he wouldn't pace so much, then turned and looked at Jeannie, "I'm not sure, Jeannie, but he's the one that actually killed Clive."

"He admitted that too?"

Jeff hesitated, "No..."

Jeannie looked at Jeff, "I'll support you, Jeff. Whatever happened, whatever you did, I know it was what you had to do. And I'll support you."

Jeff looked at her, "I didn't kill anyone, Jeannie. Now, I'd like to get a bit more sleep. I'm very tired."

Jeannie stood, then moved closer to the hospital bed, and touched Jeff's shoulder, "I know you didn't, Jeff. We'll get to the bottom of this. Honestly."

Jeff nodded at her, then watched her as she left. Marty took Jeannie's place at Jeff's side.

"Hi, Jeff," said Marty, sheepishly, sitting in the chair vacated by Jeannie.

"Don't you 'Hi Jeff,' me, Marty. Now, what are you on about?"

"Jeff, this is a **hospital**! Do you have any idea what would happen to you if a doctor or nurse saw you talking to yourself?"

Jeff looked at Marty, then grinned in a silly way, "They'd assume I was auditioning for _Harvey_?"

"Very funny, Jeff."

Jeff sobered, then said, "I know, I'm sorry, Marty. What happened at the flat?"

Marty looked away.

"Tell me, come on."

Marty nodded, then stood and approached the bed. "That was him, Jeff."

"I know."

"I... Jeff, I..."

Jeff waited, quietly, for Marty to continue.

Marty looked down, then looked into Jeff's dark brown eyes, "I killed him, Jeff. He'd cut you, with a knife, and you were unconscious. He was unconscious too, from you hitting him. Thanks for that, by the way, so I took his body and I... I killed him, Jeff."

"You... you took his body?"

"I possessed him. And I... Jeff, I had to do it. I had to."

Jeff nodded, "It's okay, Marty."

Marty stood and began to pace, "I wanted revenge. Revenge for what he put me through," Marty paused, looked at Jeff, then said, "For what he put **us** through, Jeff, you **and** me." He reached the bed, and sat carefully on the edge of it, "And, and he **did** murder Clive, Jeff. Trust me on this, I know it was him," he got up and began to pace, again. Jeff nodded, watching Marty pace.

"With you unconscious, and him, too, I... I took advantage of the situation, and I... I stabbed him, Jeff, twice."

"Will the police think I did it?" Jeff asked.

"The police will think it was self-inflicted."

Jeff looked in shock at Marty, "I didn't know you could do that. You possessed him and made him..." Jeff left off, shuddering at the thought.

Marty stopped and answered, "Not completely, Jeff. I was going to do just that, but Wyvern wouldn't allow it. So I... Watch this, Jeff," Marty concentrated on a tray on Jeff's bedside table. The tray wobbled and then rose in the air, before crashing to the floor. Marty looked at Jeff, embarrassed and then said, "Well, it's very difficult. But I was able to take off his shirt, move the knife and his arm. Jeff, please don't... don't hate me for what I did. Please."

Jeff looked at Marty in shock, "I don't hate you, Marty."

Marty looked down, contritely, then said, "I couldn't take that, Jeff, if you... Please, don't hate me."

Jeff looked up at the ceiling and then at Marty, "I don't hate you, Marty. I would have... if I had been able to, I would have done the same thing," Jeff paused and grinned tightly, "Well, not the same thing, the same way, but Marty... I would have... I could have..." Jeff paused again and then said, "Getting even with the man that hurt you. Hurting him, even killing him, is something I've wanted to do for years, Marty. Practically since it happened to you. I almost lost you then, and... Marty, you are me mate, me best mate, and I... I..." Jeff faltered, then said, "Marty... what you went through..."

Marty nodded, "That's why I had to do it, Jeff."

Jeff looked at him in sympathy, then said seriously, "Marty, I would have done it for you, I want you to know that."

Marty nodded, "Thank you, Jeff. That means a lot, Jeff, it does."

"Marty, are you in trouble because of... because of what you did?"

Marty smiled, darkly, "Well, it didn't exactly earn me any brownie points."

Jeff looked at him, shocked.

Marty moved closer to Jeff, to his side, and then said, "I can handle what happens, Jeff.  This was...  it was something I needed to do."

Jeff nodded again, "Will they take you from me? Stop you from being a ghost?"

Marty shook his head, "No. I thought that might be my punishment, but no, not permanently, anyway. But I can handle it, Jeff. As long as you, and Jeannie, and my baby are all right, I can handle any pain or anything, okay? I can even handle... not seeing you for, um, some time."

Jeff looked at him in surprise, "Not seeing me?"

Marty looked away, then looked down and avoided Jeff's eyes, "Possibly."

Jeff looked at him, "I'm sorry, Marty."

Marty looked up, his eyes, hopeful, "Thanks, Jeff."

Jeff nodded again, then yawned.

"Shush, Jeff, go ahead and go back to sleep. Okay?"

Jeff nodded, sleepily.

Marty looked at him as he closed his eyes, "I love you too, Jeff, man, I do. Good night." Quietly, Marty disappeared. 

* * * * *

The next morning, during visiting hours, Mark Daley knocked shyly on Jeff's hospital room door, then entered upon Jeff's call of  "Come in".

Mark walked quietly and shyly to Jeff's bedside and sat down.

Jeff looked over at him, "Mark, this is a surprise. How are you?"

Mark smiled softly, "I'm fine. How are you Mr. Randall?"

Jeff sat up straighter in the bed and answered, "I'm all right, Mark. It was just a little cut, I'm going home later today."

Mark nodded, but didn't answer.

Jeff looked at him and sat, "Mark?"

Mark took a deep breath, "They...  the police...  they came into the school and took Mr. Williams away," he said quietly.

Jeff nodded.

"The police, the teachers, they said they were sorry and nothing like that would ever happen to me or any of the others, ever again."

Jeff nodded again.

Mark teared up, then murmured, "But Clive's... he's... he's gone."

Jeff said softly, "I'm sorry, Mark. I wish I could have found him earlier, I do."

"It's my fault! If I had only said something earlier..."

Jeff made himself more comfortable on the bed, then said, "Mark, it wasn't your fault."

"It was! Why did I wait? Maybe I could have... maybe you would have found Clive sooner, before he..." Mark choked up and began to cry.

Jeff moved himself out of the bed, then gently touched Mark's shoulder. "It wasn't your fault, Mark. What you saw, it only would have confirmed that he was kidnapped, anyway."

Mark looked up at Jeff, his eyes red from crying.

Jeff took a deep breath, then said, "Mark, it wasn't your fault. Honestly, it wasn't."

Mark's lips quivered, then he asked, "Why did you help us? You were the only one that really listened to what we had to say, me and Brett and Malcolm, and everyone. You listened and you believed us."

Jeff took a deep breath, then moved back and sat on the edge of the hospital bed. "Mark," he started, closed his eyes, and took another breath, then opened his eyes, and said, "Mark, you're not the first person that something like this has happened to. What Williams did to you boys, it was... it was criminal, Mark. But things like that have happened before, to other people."

Mark looked at Jeff, then asked, "Did it happen to you? Did someone touch you like that, down there?" Mark made a vague movement with his hand towards the center of his trousers.

Jeff gulped, and tears came to his eyes, "Not to me, but to my best mate.  He was... he was your age, Mark, he was fourteen and..."

Mark looked at him, in astonishment, "Really?"

Jeff nodded, "Me mate was called, Marty Hopkirk, and his mum was a widow. Her boyfriend... he hurt my friend, Marty. Marty was hurt, like you were, Mark. His mum's boyfriend," Jeff paused, then said, "touched him."

"Wh...what happened to your mate?"

Jeff looked off in the distance, then returned his attention to Mark, "He... he was all right. When he told me... I ..." Jeff thought a moment, then said, "We told me parents, and Marty came and lived with my family. I'm not going to lie to you Mark, it was difficult. Especially, at first, for Marty it was difficult. He had nightmares, and that made him afraid to sleep. He didn't eat enough. He even fainted at school. But he also got help, Mark. And he grew up, and he even found a woman he wanted to marry."

Mark nodded, then said, "Wait... you're talking about him in the past tense. He's gone, now, isn't he?"

Jeff slowly nodded, tears in his eyes, "We... we were both detectives, Mark. And Marty... Marty was murdered whilst on a case. But that was... he was older then, an adult. It had nothing to do with... it wasn't because of  the abuse he suffered as a teenager, Mark. It was completely separate. I still miss him, though."

Mark nodded, again, "And I miss Clive, I do."

"And that's okay, it really is," said Jeff, then he added, "If  you ever want to talk, Mark, phone me or call on me, all right? I'll be there to listen to you."

"Thanks, Mr. Randall."

Jeff dried his eyes, "Mark, are you okay? Someone is... you have someone to talk to, right? A counselor or somebody?"

"Um-hum, yeah. All of us do. And the police said that even if we have to testify in court against Professor Williams, we can do it, um... I didn't understand completely, but we don't have to stand before **HIM** in open court. Um, a deep-ah, a dep-a, I don't remember."

"A deposition?" asked Jeff.

Mark nodded, and pushed his hair out of his eyes, "I think so."

Jeff nodded, and smiled tightly, "Mark... I... I'm sorry I didn't find Clive fast enough to save him, I really am."

Mark looked at him, "Oh no, that wasn't your fault either, Mr. Randall, at least you tried, at least you listened. And Professor Williams is going to prison, for a long time the police said."

Jeff nodded, then got back into bed to lie down.

"Are you tired?" asked Mark.

"A little bit, but you can stay if you like. It's good to have someone to talk to."

Mark nodded, saying more to himself than to Jeff, "It is, isn't it?"

The two sat quietly, then began to talk with each other, until finally a nurse came and told Mark, visiting hours were over, and he left. After he did, Jeff snuggled himself back in bed, until he finally fell asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

********

**Chapter  7**

********

A few days later, Jeff sat in the offices of **Randall and Hopkirk (deceased) Security Services** , sorting paperwork and finishing reports, when Jeannie came in. Jeannie walked to his desk and stood in front of him, tapping her foot in annoyance.

"Jeff, what are you doing here? I thought you were going to stay home and rest?"

"I was bored, Jeannie. I'm only catching up on the paperwork. I should write up a report to send to Sir Worthington and..."

Jeannie interrupted, "You know what they said at the hospital, Jeff. They only discharged you on the condition that you get some rest."

Jeff set down the file he was reading with a thump, "Jeannie... I'm fine, I'm telling you, I'm fine," he said, his tone annoyed.

"With all respect, Jeff, you're not."

Jeff glared at her but was saved from answering by a knock on the door that separated the inner office from the outer office.

"Come in!" shouted Jeff. Jeannie glared at him, then moved to Marty's desk and sat down.

A plainclothes police officer came in, and sat before Jeff's desk. The man was tall, broad-shouldered, with sandy, light brown hair, and hazel eyes, "Hello, Mr. Randall, Miss Hurst, I'm D.S. Charles Cooper."

Jeff nodded in acknowledgement, then said tiredly, "And how can we help you, Detective Cooper?"

Jeannie nodded, "I remember, from the flat, right?"

Cooper smiled at her, "That's right, Miss Hurst," then he turned to Jeff, "No help needed, this is only a courtesy call, we've closed the Clive Worthington case, and the Ed Barrington case, and the George Williams one as well."

Jeff looked at him, expectantly.

"Williams rolled over. He admitted hiring Barrington to murder Clive Worthington. Apparently, the boy threatened to expose Williams' actions at Abbotts Field Comp."

Jeff looked at the officer, "Clive **threatened** his abuser?"

"Apparently," answered DS Cooper.

"He... that is, Mark and Brett, they told me that Clive had said he was going to stop Williams from ever... hurting... touching them ever again."

"Well, apparently he meant it. He threatened Williams."

Jeff dragged a hand over his face, "What happened?"

"From what we can tell, and from what Williams admitted, he hired Barrington. And Barrington committed suicide, so it's open and shut, really."

"And... I..." Jeff took a deep breath, "I found the body, detective, Clive's condition..."

"Barrington had a history of abusing teenaged and pre-teen boys, going back two and a half decades. He'd been imprisoned once."

Jeff looked at him shock, "He'd been imprisoned **once**? Why was he out?"

Cooper looked away, and didn't answer.

"What will happen to Williams? You going to let him out too?"

"No, he'll serve time for conspiracy to commit murder, and then additional time in a facility for what he did at the school to those boys."

"A facility?"

"A rehabilitation center."

Jeff glared him, then stood and walked to the window, he looked out for a moment, then turned and looked at Cooper, "He'll get out, eventually, won't he? And he'll hurt more boys!"

Cooper stood, "Probably. Sir..."

Jeff  looked at him, silently.

Jeannie looked at Jeff, and then at Cooper, "We... my... Detective..."

"Cooper, ma'am."

"Cooper. Jeff and I... we..." Jeannie took a deep breath, then said, "It was personal for us, this case, especially for Jeff, a friend of his had been... well," she stopped.

Jeff nodded at her, then finished, "The thing is, Dectective, my best mate... he'd been..." Jeff left off.

Cooper nodded, sympathetically, "He was a victim, sir? You knew someone, personally, that had been abused, didn't you?"

Jeff nodded, "Yeah, I did. My partner, Marty."

Cooper sighed, "I'm sorry, sir. I am.  It is difficult."

Jeff nodded again, "Yah, it is... When I... That is, I mean, I talked to Mark Daley, and his mates at Abbotts Field, I know what Williams did to them," Jeff looked off in the distance, thinking, then continued harshly, "And he's not even going to be punished? He'll be free to do it again? Are you really telling me that?" Jeff's voice rose in anger.

Cooper raised his hand and ran it through his own hair in frustration, "I have a young son of my own, sir, I understand, I do. But it's the most we could do, with him admitting to the conspiracy charges, the facility is the best we could do for punishment. I am sorry."

Jeff nodded and turned away. Jeannie stood, and walked towards the detective. On her way over, she patted Jeff's shoulder. When she reached Detective Cooper, she touched his arm, "Maybe you should leave now. Thank you for telling us." She looked at Jeff, who was staring out the window again, "He knows it wasn't your fault, detective, you're only the messenger."

Cooper nodded at her, "I am sorry, miss, I am. I wish I could tell you something different, but..."

Jeannie took his arm, and started to lead him towards the door to the outer office, "I know."

Once the detective had left, Jeannie walked over to Jeff.

Jeff stood there, tears running down his face, "It was all for nowt, Jeannie..."

"Don't say that, Jeff!"

"But... it's true. Nothing I did... it won't help, not really," Jeff knuckled his eyes, then added, "God, why?!"

"I don't know, I don't know. Shush, Jeff... and you **did** help. The boys at the school, you **did** help them, you did."

Jeff shook his head, crying.

Jeannie touched his face, "This may seem like a strange suggestion, Jeff, but I think we should consider going someplace, a holiday, away from here."

Jeff sniffed, controlling his tears, then said, "We can't afford it, Jeannie. We need to start making some money, for the baby, for your and Marty's baby..."

Jeannie touched her stomach, automatically, "Jeff, this baby will need somebody, someone to tell him about Marty. Someone to be like a father to him."

Jeff looked at her.

"Jeff, you can do that, but not if you aren't here."

Jeff glared at her, "Jeannie, I'm angry, but I'm not that desperate! For god's sake, Jeannie!"

"All I'm suggesting is a holiday, Jeff, that's all."

Jeff just looked at her, "The business."

"No, Jeff," Jeannie insisted, "Right now, what you need is to get away, away from London, away from all of this," She indicated the office with her hand, then returned her hand to her stomach, "You are in no condition to take on a new case, not yet. We need a few days off, a holiday, come on, Jeff."

Jeff pulled away from her and pulled himself together, "I don't know, Jeannie, I..."

"Just a few days, a week, maybe even a fortnight?"

"A fortnight? Jeannie..."

Marty appeared and looked at Jeff, whose eyes were red, "Jeff, what's happening?"

Jeannie looked at Jeff, who was a mess, "Jeff you are in no condition to be working. You can not take on a new case, not right now, not until you come to terms with all this. My sister has a cottage in Cornwall, on the coast. She's always telling me I can borrow it. I'll call her, but I'm sure it will be all right. Jeff, you **need** a holiday! I've been so worried about you." Jeannie moved closer to him and touched his face, comforting him, "The police have closed the case, well, the cases," she corrected, emphasising the plural, before rushing on, "Come on, Jeff, let's close up the office and go on holiday!" Jeannie said, tears in her eyes.

"Thanks, Jeannie," said Marty, smiling at her as she finished her speech, "Jeff, she's right. I'm worried as well. The business will be all right if you take a few days off. A holiday in Cornwall will be perfect for you."

Jeff nodded, pulling himself together, "Cornwall? Won't it be a bit chilly this time of year?"

Jeannie looked out the window, then said, "Well, it will be **quiet** , no tourists for a few months."

Jeff nodded, first at Marty, and then at Jeannie, "All right. I'll finish up the paperwork, get the report and everything in the post, and then I'll pack and leave, all right?"

Marty looked at Jeff, then said, "Take Jeannie with you, Jeff, you shouldn't be alone."

"I'm coming, as well, Jeff," Jeannie said at the same time.

Jeff  looked between the two of them, "All right, Jeannie, you can come along."

Jeannie nodded, "I'll phone Wendy, and pick-up the keys." She swept out of the room, quickly.

Jeff turned to Marty, "You want me to go, on holiday, with Jeannie, to Cornwall?" he said, incredulously.

Marty grimaced, "Well, it's better than the alternative, Jeff."

"And what alternative is that, Marty?" Jeff asked harshly.

Marty closed his eyes and backed off, then opened his eyes and looked down, "You taking another case right now, and... and not being careful."

Jeff looked at him, then his expression softened, "What do you mean by that?"

Marty took a deep breath then moved closer to Jeff, "Jeff, do you even remember what you said to Jeannie in the car, after you found Clive Worthington's body?"

Jeff started, and turned from Marty, then murmured, "I... I know what Jeannie **told me** I said. I have a vague notion of saying it."

Marty nodded, then appeared in front of Jeff, "Jeff, you are in no condition to be working. Jeff, please, you need to take some time, away from the business, and get yourself together. Don't argue with me about this..." then he disappeared, suddenly.

"Marty?" Jeff said, but his mate had disappeared from the office. Jeff shook his head in confusion, then returned his concentration to his paperwork.

*****

Marty appeared in Limbo, and yelled angrily at Wyvern, "What do you think you're doing? I was in the middle of a very important conversation!"

"Marty!" Wyvern shouted back, then his voice dropped, "Marty, you can't go 'round the mortal plane fulfilling your personal vendettas from when you were alive!  What are the rules of being a ghost, Marty?"

Marty looked at Wyvern, angrily, then said, "Only Jeff can see me, and..." He left off, then hung his head, "I know the rules, Wyvern."

"Marty, if you knew the rules, why did you break them? You are not to actually murder a mortal, Marty, especially when there are connections between you."

"Connections? Do you know what that man did to me? Do you?"

Wyvern looked away, then appeared next to Marty, "I know, Marty, I know. I was there, I saw everything that happened. And I know what you intended to do that night, Marty, I do."

Marty looked at him in shock, then moved a chair near himself and sat heavily, "How? How do you know? What do you mean you saw it?"

Wyvern knelt next to Marty and lightly touched his arm, "Marty, I was watching over you. We've had a connection since you were born, Marty. That's why I'm your guide," he stood, "How do you think Jeff  knew to be there that night, Marty?"

"He knew, when...  when we were kids, teenagers, he always knew. Whenever I was in trouble, he knew, he was there. And once, once **I** knew when **he** was in real trouble and **he** needed me, though we were older, then," Marty looked off at the shifting walls of Wyvern's room, then looked back at Wyvern, "I felt it, so strongly, that day. But we were **always** close, I knew what he was thinking, what he was feeling. My ability to read him is even stronger, now, Wyvern."

Wyvern nodded, "I know, Marty, I know, you have abilities, Marty, special abilities. Jeff  has abilities as well, but they aren't as strong as yours are, Marty, so I needed to shout at him, I stood in his bedroom that night and I shouted at him. Screamed at him, ' _Marty needs you! He's at school, he needs you!_ ' Over and over, until he woke up and left for school."

Marty looked at Wyvern, confused. "How'd you know to send him there?"

"Because I knew where you'd go. Marty, I couldn't let you...  I couldn't allow you to..." Wyvern's voice dropped, then he said, emotionally, "It wasn't your time, Marty, but if I didn't do something, I knew... I had to stop you."

Marty looked at Wyvern, "I don't understand."

Wyvern looked at the shifting walls of  his room, "Marty, I was, I suppose you could say I was a facilitator. I wasn't suppose to interfere, but I became..." Wyvern sighed, "I cared for you, Marty, from watching you for so long, and with Jeff's abilities and yours, I was able to... to help you both."

"Help us both? How?"

"By passing along messages, thoughts, feelings, emotions, Marty."

"My ability to read him," stated Marty, confidently.

"Yes, and his to read you. You both have natural empathy, Marty. And you have... abilities, more than you know. I helped you both along."

Marty thought for a moment, then said, "That afternoon, that day... when I, that is, when Jeff..."

Wyvern interrupted, "I urged you to go to him, Marty. I couldn't stand by and let him... I knew what it would do to you to lose Jeff, Marty, and I couldn't allow that. Like I couldn't allow you to, to carry out your plan, Marty."

Marty nodded in understanding, "Thank you, Wyvern. I mean it, thank you so much for helping us both, for being our _facilitator_ , as you say. So why can I read Jeff so well, now, even more than before?"

Wyvern sighed, "Marty, I can't explain any more. But what that man did doesn't excuse what you did. You aren't to decide the fate of **anyone** , Marty. A ghost can only, bring someone over, under very special circumstances, and it wasn't Ed Barrington's time, not **quite** yet."

Marty nodded, "I'm in trouble, aren't I?"

"Yes, Marty, you are."

Marty looked at him, "So, What's my punishment, then? I've told Jeff, I won't leave him."

"I wish you hadn't said that, Marty."

Marty stood, "I won't! I won't leave him, down there, alone, I won't! He **needs** me, Wyvern! He needs me in his life, he does. Jeff  would, he will, he would fall apart without me! Wyvern!!!"

"Marty, you are going into cold storage. You need to think about your actions, Marty, you need to think about the rules, and why the rules exist. Barrington would have suffered, Marty, believe me, and you actually prevented that."

Marty nodded, "I need to tell Jeff."

"No, Marty, you've seen him twice, now, and you need to be punished, I'm sorry."

Marty shook his head, "I can't leave it like this! I need to talk to him! To explain. I can't let him think I abandoned him! Or that I'm angry at him! No, Wyvern, please, let me see him once more."

Wyvern looked at Marty, "It against the rules to let you go down there, Marty."

Marty went to Wyvern, and touched his arm, then looked at him, begging, "Please, Wyvern, please let me see him, just once more. Please. I shall serve extra time in storage, but please."

"How much longer, Marty?"

Marty backed off, and pulled himself up, "As long as you want. But I want you to look out for him, for me. Please. Him and Jeannie. If nothing happens to them...  if Jeff doesn't, get himself in any trouble, or hurt, or anything, I'll stay as long as you want."

Wyvern nodded, "As long as **you** need, Marty, you must learn the error of your ways."

Marty nodded, "Yah, whatever, now please, please let me see Jeff."

Wyvern smiled, tightly, "Oh, all right, go. But come back quickly, Marty, if I have to come and get you, it will reflect badly on us both!"

Marty waved his hand at Wyvern, and disappeared. 

*****

Jeff sat at his desk, working, when suddenly Marty popped in, "Hi, Jeff."

Jeff jumped, "Don't **do** that, Marty! You startled me!"

Marty looked at him, in shock, and asked, "Jeff, What is going on with you?'

"What do you mean, Marty?" Jeff asked, turning his desk chair away, then he put his hand to his chin.

Marty disappeared and re-appeared in front of Jeff, "Come on, Jeff, something's wrong and you won't talk to me about it. Even Jeannie's noticed, and she's not as in tune with you as I am. Now, talk."

Jeff shook his head, and turned away again.

Marty stayed behind him and said, quietly, "Come on, Jeff, I know this case was difficult, but that's not all of  it, is it?"

Jeff sighed, "No, it isn't. The case was difficult enough.  I'm a detective, not a copper.  I'm not used to cases like this. Not that I'd think the police are used to it, either, but god, Marty, I mean..."

Marty appeared in front of him and nodded, "There's more to it, isn't there, Jeff?"

Jeff took a deep breath and slowly let it out, "Yah, there is, Marty. It's...  it's to do with you. With us. With things that happened when we were, well, I was going to say kids, but we weren't kids, not for long, not after it happened."

Marty nodded, "I'm sorry about that, Jeff, I... I needed someone and I leant on you, and maybe that wasn't fair..."

Jeff interrupted, "No, Marty, don't say that. Please. I'm not blaming you, at'all, and I'm glad I was there. I'm glad you **had** me to lean on, I **am** , Marty, always. And..." Jeff  left off.

Marty's eyes filled as he looked at Jeff, "I've always been very grateful, Jeff. I hope you know that."

Jeff nodded, understanding exactly what Marty was saying, "But, I, Marty, there were things I never dealt with... and this has brought up so much. I don't want to hurt you, I don't, not at'all. I can't explain but, I've...  I'm glad I was there, Marty, and I'm glad we took you in, my parents, that is. You're my best mate, I..." Jeff looked up helplessly.

Marty nodded, "I know, Jeff, it was a near thing, probably nearer than you know."

Jeff nodded again, "I'm just starting to realise that, Marty."

Marty nodded again, "Jeff, I... I don't want to add to your burdens, I don't, but there's something I've got to tell you, I've got to."

Jeff  looked up at him.

Marty took a deep breath, "I... The thing is, Jeff, you won't... I won't..."

"Spit it out, Marty."

"You won't see me for a little while. Wyvern is sending me into cold storage. I won't be able to come down to see you, not for some time."

"What? Marty, I thought you said they wouldn't take you from me?"

"It's not permanent, Jeff."

"Why?"

"Because of  what I did. I knew it... I knew it was something I shouldn't have done... it was definitely against the rules, and I knew I'd be punished. But it was something I **had to do** , Jeff.  I needed to do it, for me, for us."

"Marty, What are you talking about? What did you do?"

Marty looked away, "I killed the Monster, Jeff. I told you that."

Jeff nodded, "But he deserved it, Marty! What he did to you, to us..." Jeff  left off, then swallowed, hard and continued, "And your punishment is this _cold storage_? What is that? Will it hurt you?"

Marty looked back at Jeff, "It shouldn't hurt, I don't think so, anyway. It's like solitary confinement, I won't be able to mingle with the other ghosts, and I won't be able to come down to see you, not 'til Wyvern thinks I've had enough. He said I'm supposed to stay there and think about my actions."

Jeff nodded, "So when are you going to this place? I mean, I suppose it's a place, this cold storage?"

"Something like that, and now, Jeff. I told Wyvern I needed to explain to you, I wanted you to know I hadn't abandoned you, nor was I angry at you, or anything like that. But as soon as we're done talking... I'm sorry, Jeff."

Jeff  looked at Marty, whose eyes were pleading with him to understand, "I'll miss you, Marty."

Marty cocked his head as if  listening to something, nodded, then said, "I've got to go, I heard Wyvern calling me, if  I don't go voluntarily, it will be worse. Jeff, I..." Marty looked up, "Wait a minute!" he shouted, then turned to Jeff, "Jeff, listen, please. I care about you, I always have and I always will. You've meant so much to me, and I owe you so much, I can't tell you in the time I've got, just, please Jeff, take care of yourself, and Jeannie, take care of  Jeannie for me, and the baby of course," he smiled, then kicked his heels on the floor, took at deep breath, and said, "I love you, Jeff, remember that."

Jeff nodded, "Oh, Marty," he said sympathetically, "I know that. I do. I... I... god, Marty, I feel the same way, all right? I do. I..." Jeff  looked at him, then took a deep breath and said, "I love you, I do."

Marty nodded, "I know," then he looked to the side and said, "I'm coming, I'm coming, Wyvern, just a minute, okay?" Marty looked at Jeff, "Be careful. And take some time, you need it. Goodbye, Jeff."

Jeff answered, "Goodbye, Marty," but his mate was gone. "Marty?" Jeff looked around the room. "Mr. Wyvern?" Jeff said tentatively, "Mr. Wyvern, I don't know if you can hear me, but look after him for me? Please? And don't keep him away too long, all right? For me?" Jeff sighed, and checked the office again, but there was no sign of  Marty. Jeff returned to the work on his desk and began finishing his report, knowing that he needed to get his work in the office finished and taken care of  before taking his holidays with Jeannie.

*****

Jeff sat on a bench, looking out at the grey, stormy ocean, the wind cut through him as he sat and stared at the water. A few minutes later, Jeannie approached him and sat next to him. Both were quiet for a few minutes, then she said, "Jeff?"

"Yah, Jeannie?" Jeff answered her, without looking at her.

"Can we talk a minute? About this case, about what happened?"

"I suppose so, I don't know what there is to talk about though," Jeff replied.

"I know you keep saying you're fine, but... Jeff, you've been so erratic, throughout this case, ever since Sir Worthington brought it to us... Well, I'm concerned."

"I know, Jeannie, I know," Jeff nodded. Looking at her he said, "Ask your questions, Jeannie. I know you have some."

Jeannie took a deep breath, "Jeff, when was it?"

"When was what, Jeannie?"

"Jeff you told me... you admitted that you made a suicide attempt. God, Jeff! When?"

Jeff froze, then slowly got up and walked along the cliff near the sea, away from Jeannie, he stared into the grey water, silent.

"Jeff, I don't mean to upset you, but... I never knew, I never even suspected, and knowing what I know about Marty's past, and the way you've been behaving... scares me. You can tell me, Jeff. You can talk to me about it, please!"

Jeff froze where he was stood, then took a deep breath, still looking at the sea, he said "Jeannie, I haven't talked about it to **anyone** since it happened. **No one** , not even Marty. He brought it up once, and I let him know I wasn't ready to talk about it, and he dropped it. All right? You have no idea how difficult it is to talk about, to even think about, Jeannie."

Jeannie got up from the bench and went to his side, then gently touched him and turned him towards her, "Was it to do with when... when everything happened? I mean, when Marty was hurt so badly? Were you hurt as well? Something like that?"

Jeff looked at her, "God no, Jeannie! No, is that what you think?"

"I don't know what to think, Jeff, all I know is one minute you're nearly crying, and the next..." Jeannie left off, then started again, "I had never seen you like that before, Jeff, and I was, I **am** truly frightened for you," Jeannie carefully touched his arm, "Jeff, please tell me, okay? Something, at least."

Jeff sighed, took a deep breath, then said softly, "It had nothing to do with what happened to Marty, Jeannie, it didn't. I was," Jeff stopped to think, "I was twenty-eight, and... and there was this girl. We were very seriously involved, Jeannie. I thought I'd marry her. We... we even got engaged. But it didn't last. She left me. I don't want to go into the details of why she left, Jeannie, because it really doesn't matter. But she did."

Jeannie nodded, letting her hand rest on his arm.

"I... You have to understand, the break-up was violent, Jeannie. She... she threw things, hit me, threw me out of her flat... I was despondent. The things she said, hit some... We'd been together long enough that she knew exactly how to hurt me, exactly what buttons to press. And she had never liked Marty either. Maybe she was jealous, I don't know, but she managed to use my friendship with Marty against me, as a way of hurting me."

Jeannie nodded, "Jeff, you and Marty, you had something special. You were... like soul mates. When Marty and I got engaged, I knew that I'd need to accept his relationship with you, and I was willing to do that. I loved you both, in a way. I would never have been jealous of  your and Marty's friendship, Jeff."

"I know, Jeannie, I know that. I said to Marty once, before he proposed to you, I said, ' _She's special, Marty, and she understands us, don't let her get away_ ', I knew he'd propose to you before he did."

Jeannie nodded, "So what happened?"

Jeff took another deep, steadying breath, then moved to the bench and sat next to Jeannie, "I... the night she threw me out, I went back to the office. Marty was out of town and I didn't expect him back for a day or two. I started to drink. I drank heavily. And I become even more depressed." Jeff paused, took a deep breath, then continued, "I really can't handle alcohol, not large amounts, not when I drink like that. Anyway, I... I came to a decision. I took an overdose of tablets, Jeannie. Some pain tablets I'd been prescribed for my R.A. I took a lot, enough that I passed out."

Jeannie shuddered, "Oh god, Jeff, What happened?"

"Marty. He came back to the office early. Days early. You know, I never asked him how he knew to come back? How he knew I was in trouble? But he knew. He found me, he called an ambulance, he handled the doctors, the hospital, everything. He even contacted me mum! She was waiting to speak to me shortly after I woke up in hospital. He really did save my life, Jeannie. I could have easily died that night, if  he hadn't been there!"

"Thank god he was there, Jeff," Jeannie placed her hands on his shoulders, then hugged him, "Jeff?"

Jeff  hugged her back, "I'm fine. I... I had some counseling in hospital, I was there for a week, and, but... it's hard to explain, but when I woke up I knew it had been a mistake. I knew I shouldn't have done it, that Fr... that she wasn't worth it, and I knew how much a mate, a friend, Marty was. He's said to me on more than one occasion that I saved him, Jeannie, but he saved me as well. God, I wish he were still here with us!"

Jeannie held Jeff close, then said, "Thank you, Jeff. Thank you for telling me, I know it was hard on you, but I think it's helped, and, just, thanks for trusting me enough to tell me."

Jeff pulled back from her and nodded, "But it had... it has nothing to do with this case, Jeannie, well, maybe the drinking in the pub after I found Clive's body, but... what I keep remembering is Marty. Marty back when he was fourteen. Not me. Nothing to do with what happened to me, what I tried to do."

"Jeff, you and Marty went through something traumatic. Both of you. Yes, it was Marty who was hurt, but... you had no way of coping with it, you were the strong one. Marty got counseling straight away the next morning, and when did you?"

"The next morning? Is that what he told you? No, Jeannie, no, it was a few weeks later, that we finally got Marty to talk to a counselor."

Jeannie looked at Jeff, "He said the next day... I mean, why would he lie about something like that?"

Jeff moved out of Jeannie's arms, "I... I doubt he lied, Jeannie, not consciously. Marty was... he was mixed-up. One day slid into another. He probably didn't realise how much time passed, that's all. I mean, he was so... he had a very rough time of it. There were times when I thought... I was so afraid that I'd lose him."

"Jeff, What did you mean by ' _we finally got Marty to see a counselor_ '?"

Jeff took a deep breath, then explained, "When it happened, right when it happened, Marty... Marty refused to see any doctors, Jeannie. Absolutely refused, he even told me, told us, my parents and me, he'd... he threatened..." Jeff  left off, upset.

Jeannie looked at Jeff in shock, "Oh my god, he threatened to kill himself, didn't he?"

Jeff nodded, tears in his eyes. "Yah, Jeannie, he did. Later he claimed he didn't, but... yah, he did."

"So what happened?"

Jeff ran a hand through his hair, "He collapsed at school. I saw him collapse, Jeannie. My first thought, god, my first thought was that he'd taken something, an overdose or sommat. I was terrified. But it was exhaustion, simple exhaustion that made him collapse like that. He was staying up all night, trying to avoid nightmares, and he stopped eating, as well. But when everything came to a head, he... he finally accepted the idea of counseling. And things got better, they did. For both of us."

"Jeff, I am so sorry, Jeff. And I never knew. I mean, he explained to me before we got engaged, but I never really knew," Jeannie nodded, "And you Jeff?"

"I saw a counselor as well. At first, the only way to get Marty to open up was to have me in the office with him and our counselor. Eventually he learned to trust her, and we did each have our own sessions. Over time, everything got much better, Jeannie, for us both. And we didn't talk about it. Not really. Not outside those sessions."

Jeannie nodded, "You two went through so much. It's so sad, Jeff, really."

"It was our lives, Jeannie, for both of us, we never... we didn't talk about it, we didn't think about it, until this case, I had never even thought of myself as being traumatised by what happened to Marty. He was me mate, mates help each other. When I... when I needed him, he was there for me as well, Jeannie. He was always there for me."

Jeannie nodded, "I know, Jeff, I know." Then Jeannie went to him, and gently touched his arm, "Jeff, this case with Clive. It's over now, are you really all right? Jeff? I mean..." Jeannie left off, looking at him.

"Jeannie, I... I think I finally laid some things to rest. I don't know, Jeannie, I don't think I had ever dealt with how what happened to Marty affected me, not really. It was always Marty who was hurt, not me. I didn't think of it as traumatic. I mean, it was traumatic for him, yah, but I didn't think of it as traumatic for me."

"It was though, Jeff."

"I know. I know that now. I think that might be why this case threw me so much. From the moment, Sir Worthington contacted us, I never saw it as a ordinary kidnapping, Jeannie. I didn't. Something about the situation immediately clicked something in me. Maybe it was Clive's resemblance to Marty, or his age, I don't know. But I knew that something was going on, I simply knew."

Jeannie nodded, "Go on, Jeff."

"It was the same **bloke** , Jeannie. The same one that hurt Marty! I mean, he had partnered with Williams, but..."

"And he's dead now."

"And I'm happy about it! I am. I shouldn't be, and it's terrible of me to say it, but I am. He never stopped, Jeannie. He hurt Marty, and who knows how many others, and... killed Clive. God. Nothing else would have stopped him." Jeff turned away from her and looked into the churning ocean waters. Then he continued, quietly, "And if I could have, I would have killed Williams."

Jeannie froze, "Jeff, are you saying...? Are you saying, it **was** you? That you **did** kill Ed Barrington?"

Jeff turned around, "No. I wish it was though."

Jeannie turned away, her hand on her stomach.

Jeff  touched her shoulder.  Jeannie shook his hand away.

"I'm sorry, Jeannie, I shouldn't have said **anything** , I'm sorry."

"No, Jeff, I'm sorry, you were being honest, it's just, a shock, I suppose. I never thought you were capable of killing anyone, Jeff. Maybe to defend yourself, or me, or Marty when he was alive, or even a client, but I never thought..."

"I don't know, Jeannie, maybe I wouldn't have been able to do it when it came down to it, but... I know what it did to Marty, being hurt like that," Jeff ran a hand through his hair, "And I saw Clive's body, and it was me that talked to those boys at Abbots Field, Jeannie... when I think about it..." He groaned and turned away.

Jeannie sighed, moved to him, then put a hand on his shoulder, "It's all right, Jeff, really. I understand..." she paused, "Well, maybe I don't **understand** , but we're still partners, and friends I hope, Jeff."

Jeff  said nothing and continued to stare at the sea, lost in thought. After a minute, he said, quietly, "Mark... Mark came and spoke with me, at hospital, and he... he seemed all right, actually."

"Mark? Clive's mate?"

Jeff nodded, "Yes. I told him a little bit about Marty, what happened to him, a little bit of what we went through. I mean, it was different for Mark, because he'd been hurt as well, but... He needed to know he wasn't alone, that others had survived after experiencing... experiencing..."

Jeannie nodded, then said quietly, "Experiencing what they went through? What Marty and you..."

Looking at the deep, grey sea, Jeff said, "Yah, Jeannie."

Jeannie took a deep breath, then moved between Jeff and the cliff, she looked at him, and put a hand on his arm, then asked, "Did it help, talking with Mark, Did it help you, Jeff?"

Jeff nodded again, "Yah, I think it did."

"And you're all right?'

"Yes, I am."

"You sure, Jeff? You still sound upset."

Jeff sighed deeply, "I will be all right, Jeannie. I mean, I... I am all right, I am."

"Jeff?"

Jeff took another deep breath, "This... this was the most difficult case I've ever worked, Jeannie. The worst since Marty... since I, **we** , lost Marty, and... it brought up..."

Jeannie stepped to his side, and put a hand on his hand, "It brought up memories, feeling, things you had never dealt with..."

Jeff  nodded, several times, tears in his eyes, "It hurts so much, Jeannie. I mean, all I really remember about that time was fear, really. Being scared for Marty, worrying about him, thinking he might..."

Jeannie nodded.

"But he was stronger than that, he **never**..." Jeff left off.

Jeannie put her hands on Jeff's shoulders and shook him, lightly, "Jeff, you saved his life. From what you just told me, he saved yours. And not only that, Jeff, but... you stopped what that... that **teacher** ," Jeannie spit out the word, "What he was doing at the school, Jeff. You stopped him from hurting Mark or any of the others ever again, and who knows how many boys that he won't even get the chance to hurt now, Jeff."

Jeff looked at her and began to smile.

"No more boys like Marty and Clive, no more best mates like you or Mark, no more families, he won't ever be able to hurt anyone ever again. You stopped him, Jeff, you."

Jeff nodded, "I did, didn't I?"

"Um-hum, you, Jeff."

Jeff looked off into the distance at the ocean, "I'll survive this, Jeannie. I'm doing better, I am."

Jeannie nodded, "So, you're all right?"

Jeff nodded, "I can put everything back in to my past. It can no longer hurt me. It's over, it's done. He's dead, Williams is in prison, at least for a little while, the Worthingtons are coming to terms with their loss, and... and I'm better now, Jeannie. For the first time in twenty-four years, I can think about my teens without pain."

Jeannie went to Jeff, and touched his face, "Jeff?" Jeannie asked, tears in her eyes.

Jeff hugged her, "Jeannie, I know I've said it over and over, sometimes even when I wasn't, but I am all right, Jeannie. Believe me. I really am, finally, all right. I even think we could start back to work soon."

Jeannie hugged him back, "Oh, Jeff, I'm... I'm glad your doing better, Jeff, really."

Jeff let go of her, "You know, I'm glad we decided to take a holiday, but..." he gestured towards the stormy ocean, and the windswept cliffs, and then said, "But, next time, maybe someplace not quite so cold?"

Jeannie smiled then, "Let's get back in the warm, then, Jeff, it's freezing out here!"

Jeff nodded, "It is that, isn't it? Let's go in," he smiled.

Jeannie smiled back, and took his arm, guiding him towards the cottage, "Let's go in."

**The End**


End file.
